Fire and Ash
by Hughbacca
Summary: The 69th Hunger Games are vastly approaching and in District Twelve life is about to get tougher for the Everdeen family as Ash Everdeen an eighteen year old boy from the Seam faces his last ever reaping, Will he make it through the turbulent times ahead. As a brave girl once said "Fire is catching" and for Ash he will walk into the smoke and come out completely changed. Rated K /T
1. Chapter 1

**Fire and Ash**

 **A/N I have changed Katniss and Peeta's Age by one year making them both 17 by the 74** **th** **Games and Prim's age is reduced by one year making her 12 by the 74** **th** **games, also I do not own the songs they are owned by their respected owners and companies.**

 _The 69_ _th_ _Hunger Games are vastly approaching and in District Twelve life is about to get tougher for the Everdeen family as Ash Everdeen an average eighteen year old boy from the Seam faces his last ever reaping, Will he make it through the turbulent times ahead. As a brave girl once said "Fire is catching" and for Ash he will walk into the smoke and come out completely changed._

 **Capitol**

"So this is your first year as Head Gamemaker, do you feel nervous about living up to the expectations from your predecessors?" Caesar Flickerman asks with dyed hair and make-up on his face as he looks across at the seat where Octavian Bleake in a chequered rainbow coloured suit with his neatly trimmed beard and comb over hairstyle is sitting back relaxed basking in the attention from the live-audience and from the rest of Panem which is now focussed solely towards him.

"I believe that this year we will see the tributes face adversity with many unique elements being added to this year's games, to answer your question I don't feel nervous as I have waited for this moment my entire life and now that I am here I plan to give you a games that no one has ever seen" Octavian finishes waving at the audience and bowing at the screaming fans waiting for Caesar to excuse him so he can exit to go to another capitol show to give pretty much the exact same answer.

"There you have it folks! Please show our appreciation for our new Head Gamemaker, Octavian Bleake!" Caesar shouts out to the audience whilst bursting into his traditional laugh. He quickly recovers and shakes Octavian's hand before letting the Head Gamemaker off the stage.

"What did you think of that ladies and gentlemen? This year's Hunger Games seem to be looking bound for extraordinary scenes. All that's left are for the tributes to be reaped and the arena to be finished and we will begin the 69th Annual Hunger Games!" Caesar finishes with another loud laugh which sets off the rest of the audience in to a fit of applause and screaming.

 **District Twelve: -** _ **Ash Everdeen**_

Today was possibly the worst day of any kid from the Seam in district twelve, even more so for the older kids. Despite this being my last eligible year my name was in the reaping bowl more times than I'd like, 42 times. The odds were not in my favour as our illustrious district escort Effie Trinket would say.

It was currently early morning and I was sleeping on what remained of our rather seasoned couch in the living room/dining room/kitchen of our home when I heard my little sister Katniss scream in her shared bedroom with my smallest sister Prim who was currently out like a light bulb in our district. I abandoned the couch, quickly stretched my aching limbs and went to my sisters joined bedroom.

I saw Katniss sitting up with a look of pure horror and sweat matting her hair and forehead, I quickly went over to her and wrapped my arms around her as she rested her head into the crook of my neck; Silently stroking her head until she spoke to me.

"It was me, I was reaped" she said sobbing a little whilst trying to remain what little composure she had left after being woken up from an experience no child or adult should ever have to encounter.

"I know Kitty-Kat but it isn't and won't be you, your name is in there once out of thousands. Besides whose going to look after little Prim if it's you? No my little rascal it won't be. You will be fine" I say jokingly whilst rubbing her back gently successfully calming down my sister.

"Can you sing to me like pa did, Ash?" Katniss asked giving me the wounded puppy dog eyes, I sighed internally. This little girl had me wrapped around her finger and she knew it.

"Sure thing Kat but you must get back to bed" I said whilst tucking her back in to her bed. Thinking about a song that wouldn't remind her of our father, he died earlier this year in a mine accident along with the Hawthorne's who live a few doors down. Life is hard in twelve between mining accidents and the devastating hunger in harsh winters evens our population at around 10,000 a very small amount compared to others so we are told in school. District eleven is supposedly around thirteen times bigger than ours.

" _I remember tears streaming down your face  
When I said, I'll never let you go  
When all those shadows almost killed your light  
I remember you said, don't leave me here alone  
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight_

 _Just close your eyes  
The sun is going down  
You'll be alright  
No one can hurt you now  
Come morning light  
You and I'll be safe and sound_

 _Don't you dare look out your window  
Darling, everything's on fire  
The war outside our door keeps raging on  
Hold onto this lullaby  
Even when the music's gone  
Gone_

 _Just close your eyes  
The sun is going down  
You'll be alright  
No one can hurt you now  
Come morning light  
You and I'll be safe and sound_  
 _Just close your eyes  
You'll be alright  
Come morning light,  
You and I'll be safe and sound..."_

I finish the song to see that Katniss is successfully asleep; I close my eyes and wipe the tears away from them. That song always makes me cry as that was the song that Pa would sing to mom and then to me when I would get scared or nervous especially when the reapings were fast approaching I would find the necessary courage to keep going and to look strong after the song for my family.

I look outside the window briefly seeing the sun on the horizon which means that I should probably prepare to go and get some early morning hunting done so I can make sure that mom, Katniss and Prim all have something to eat if I don't make it back from the reaping and am sent to the Capitol to be slaughtered for their amusement, I sigh to myself when will the barbarism end? When Snow dies? When the Districts rebel again? No there's too much at stake for another uprising and we couldn't fight and expect to win without losing the land that we live on.

I leave my pondering and move to the table grabbing Pa's old hunting jacket finding it fits perfectly around my six foot two build and quickly move out of the house towards the meadow on the edge of the Seam, which is surrounded by an electrified fence which is rarely on as power is a rare commodity in our district and is only supplied to our district when the Hunger Games are being broadcasted. I have atleast until 10am until the power is restored to the fence.

I move out of the meadow to the weak spot in the fence and I crawl through it just snagging the wire, I push the loose part of the fence so I won't catch it on the way back. Especially if I have game with me, I move into the woods that expand and surround twelve and onto the lightly trodden path that leads towards the secretly stashed weapons that Pa made. I look up and into the trees admiring the beauty of nature, this serenity allows me to connect with myself and feel at peace. Also allowing me to connect with my inner hunter and move to the hollowed out log to retrieve my hunting spear and my bow which is alongside my Pa's, looking at the bow brings back the memories of us out in these very woods hunting. Shaking the thoughts away I move onto the tree across the small clearing to get the arrows from inside the tree.

I move through the trees breathing in the unpolluted air which is a stark contrast to the gloomy dust filled air of the Seam, people say that if someone were to create a big enough spark that all of the district would go up in flames. Its rubbish but it scares the kids not to play with fire and in a community where all of the houses are made of wood it's a good thing that kids aren't given an incentive to try, not that any of the children from the Seam could actually get hold of matches... they were too valuable.

I looked at the surrounding area and looked at the forest floor and saw tracks and took off in that direction carefully placing my steps so I would make as little noise as possible, I flew through this part of the forest knowing that in here I was free and I was the predator searching for its prey. The only types of animal that I considered to be a threat were bears as I had been attacked by one once when I was younger, they were powerful animals and also lightning fast as I learnt the hard way and was rewarded with claw marks on my back. Luckily I had found this old spear on the ground which I had picked up and miraculously speared the creature through its heart killing it instantly, my father had come bursting into the clearing and gripped me so tightly I thought I would be crushed. The bear had fed us for a few weeks and we even made a bedcover with its thick fur which was placed over Katniss and Prim at this point in time reminding me that I would have to protect them.

I stopped when I couldn't see the tracks as they had gone almost as if the animal had leapt over the thick bush atleast 6 feet in front of me which kept me hidden from what was behind it. This was a good sign; the only animal that could leap such a height in a sprint would be a deer. If worse comes to worst then atleast I could get enough money for my family not to need to take tesserae.

I peered around a tree just to the side of the bush and saw a deer grazing with its side shown to me, I could easily hit a vital organ and kill it. I grabbed my bow from my back and slowly drew an arrow from the quiver, placed it in the correct position and drew back slowly making sure to even out my breathing and slowly stop. I aimed for the deer's neck and then it looked up as if startled by a distant noise; I hid for a few seconds making sure to keep an eye on the animal. It slowly went back to eating as if cautiously waiting for a threat to immerge from the trees, carefully I placed my bow against the side of the tree and took aim so I was sure the arrow wouldn't miss not that I have for a long time. Before any other interruptions could scare the deer into bolting, I let the arrow fly and before the deer had time to react it was far too late the arrow had pierced the neck of the deer cutting the main artery into the head of the deer.

I now made my way towards the deer to quickly claim the kill before another animal came and took away my hard work, the way of the world out here is far different than that of Panem. If you need something out here you have to be strong enough to take it. I started to skin the deer when I heard something approach from behind me; I quickly got up picking up my newly made hunting spear styled like the older one and prepared myself for a fight. He came through the bush I had hid behind panting as if he was being chased by a legion of peacekeepers.

"Hey Brail" I said to my friend making fun of our first encounter out here in the woods.

"How arrre you Ash" Gale Hawthorne replied. He was a year older than Katniss and was practically out here every day due to his family needing someone to support them; his father had died in the same mining accident that had killed my father. I had found him setting up snares in a clearing and asked who he was and in his response sounded like he said brail so I sometimes call him it to annoy him when I see him.

"I'm alright Gale how is your family doing?" I ask trying to keep a conversation going as with Gale he doesn't talk much to others including myself which is usually alright but when you need to get your mind of the reaping it does feel good being distracted from the upcoming games, that's partially why I hunt besides to keep my family clothed and fed as Ma has been in a state of shutdown from Pa's death. I understand to an extent as to why she is in a state but to leave your three children without anything; no support, no money and even no future. It is no secret that I hunt in the district especially not in the Seam. How else would a family stay afloat if no one worked to pay for the essential items needed to stay alive, life in district twelve was a struggle and the peacekeepers knew this which caused them to look the other way to places and activities such as the Hob and hunting in the woods. Heck the peacekeepers are where I made most of the money to provide for the family. I would be working in the mines after the reaping and then I would be able to make sure that Katniss and Prim wouldn't grow up taking out tesserae like I had to.

"You checked your traps yet, Gale? Other animals might try and grab the easy prey. I'll come over to you once I got what I need from the deer here and I'll make sure to get some more for your family as well" I say as I know that he needs all the help he can get, back when we first met each other I used to try and get him to take some of the extras that we wouldn't sell or eat before the meat went off but he was stubborn and proud like most in the Seam, I used to have to give it directly to his mother Hazelle whom was friends with my mother. She would always thank me telling me I was too kind but with her and the four children to provide for and her only job being as a clothes washer I knew that despite how difficult we had it in our household that she also needed the support. Gale nodded his head and set off to where he set up his snares so I began extracting the useful parts of the deer for selling and for mine and Gale's family.

I make my way over to Gale's snare location which is located nearer the fence which is ideal as I would have left the woods after getting extremely lucky, I guess the odds are in my favour today. Pushing the thought to the back of my mind I head off towards Gale in a light jog eager to get to the hob and the butchers maybe I'll try the bakery see if they want something, last time I went there was when my Pa took me after one of our hunts.

First I will go to the butcher's shop, so I can get the most money for the best parts as the butcher is very fair with her trades as long as the meat is of high standard and by the look of the deer I would say it was fairly healthy. Then I will stop off at the hob to barter some of the other valuable parts such as the hide and some of the smaller areas of the deer that didn't have as much meat. No one party in the hob had enough money to buy all of the deer meat as it was a rare commodity and there were less people in the hob today probably due to families wanting to stay together for as long as possible.

I remember the first time I walked into the hob with the bear meat ahead of my Pa who had stopped to talk to one of his coal mining buddies and I hadn't noticed. I was almost completely crushed by people who wanted the meat, claws and whatever else they could get their hands on. I understand the system there now and that you go to who has the supplies you need and then you trade instead of walking in and displaying what you have unless you have got a stall, but we don't so I have to initiate deals. I taught Gale this and showed him who might be interested in what but let him handle the deals himself otherwise he wouldn't learn.

I went and put my bow and hunting spear back into their respective places and walked the short distance to where Gale's snares were. The forest floor was covered in fallen leaves, which was perfect for setting up traps as the animals wouldn't see them and the trees were fairly tall which allowed for the caught animal to be hoisted up high out of reach from other predators. Gale was good with making these traps, much better than I was. I saw that his traps had caught two rabbits and a squirrel, not enough to sell and also keep some for his family.

"We can always come out again after the reaping, huh?" I suggest and he just nods his head and puts the meat in his game bag whilst holding a bag of berries in his hand which tell me who he's goes to first.

"You going to the Mayor's house? I'll meet you outside the Hob ok?" I ask receiving a nod in response.

We walk back to the fence together but then split up going through the meadow him heading for the far side of the richer part of the district, the merchant area. Whilst I headed towards the butchers which was closer to the seam to sell as much of the meat as possible to her, I knocked on the back door. You see merchants talk about each other and if they saw me walking in with meat they wouldn't buy her produce despite the fact that this meat is probably fresher and better than the rest of her stock.

"Hello Ash what have you got for me today?" The butcher replied smiling. She had weathered blue eyes and blonde hair as well as rough looking hands despite her being in her early thirties and from the merchant area, life was tough for everyone in this district and the merchant class was no exception. Only a few merchant families had it going perfect and all of them worked at the justice building.

"I have deer meat, I came straight here so you get the first pick of what you want" I said showing her the meat in the game bag I kept for her to look at first, she took the bag out of my hands and gestured for me to come inside which I did promptly shutting the door as I came in and standing off to the side to let her examine the meat as this was her speciality.

"I'll give you 2 gold pieces, 5 silver and 10 bronze pieces for everything in the first bag and I'll give you a few pieces of meat from a pig that's about to go off that no one's interested in, as I know the games are coming up no one will want to eat them and I feel as if you need it more than I do" she said looking at me with sympathy towards the end. Once again everyone knows what goes on around this district and the fact that I have had to support my family since I was twelve even when my Pa was still alive up until now where I was one of the most likely kids to get reaped. I glanced back towards the butcher who was looking at me expectantly for an answer.

"That's a deal, thank you so much" I said grabbing her hand and shaking it this was probably one of the best trades that I have ever made despite it being more of a pity trade. I would take a blow to my pride so my sisters and Ma could eat.

"Let me just go grab the meat and I'll be right back" off she disappeared into what I guessed was the pantry and came back with four slices of pork which I would have to hunt and kill atleast three squirrels five if they were really small. The pork didn't look off but I just went with it as she's the one who has more experience with meat and its life expectancy.

"Thank you once again, Mrs" I said opening the backdoor leaving it slightly ajar before going outside waiting to be dismissed.

"No problem, Venison is quite sort after so if you happen on anymore don't hesitate to come back in the future. See you next time" she said before walking to the door and politely pushing me out.

That went better than expected. Now off to the Hob I walked around the back gardens of the merchant's area and walked through the meadow and came out on the outskirts of the Seam and walked straight for the Hob which was in the centre of the market area for the Seam. The Hob is essentially a black market where all the things that the Capitol don't want us doing is bought and sold, it is setup in an abandoned coal storage warehouse and is frequented by those who make their living by selling goods such as alcohol, building supplies who obtain the wood by chopping down trees around the Victors Village. There are so many stalls selling different things that you could try and visit every single stall and you would still be here the next week.

I traded with some peacekeepers selling the meat and antlers too which I guess they will hang up in the barracks and boast that they killed it, but I don't care as long as I get paid I'm happy to get rid of something which I would usually struggle to sell to anyone else in the hob. After dealing with the peacekeepers I went towards the textiles stall that sold thread for making clothes or repairing them, I remember Katniss telling me the other week that we needed some to repair some of Prim's clothing as well as some of hers. Prim's clothing was once Katniss' so they had a tendency to rip easier so we need to try and look after Prim's clothes until she grows a little more. I asked for some supplies and paid her with some of the coins I got from the peacekeepers, I was moving past the stalls on my way outside when I looked to my side and saw a golden pin that caught my eye. I went back towards it and picked it up and saw that it also had writing on it around the outside of the rims " _My little mockingjay"_.

"How much for this pin" I asked the elderly woman who was manning the till.

"You keep it" she replied I nodded my thanks to her and went off to wait for Gale, leaning against the wall outside of the building for around ten minutes before he arrived.

"You got much left to sell Gale?" I ask as he leans next to me looking tired from all the moving around today.

"Just got some rabbits to sell to Greasy Sae and that's it, you can go back to your place if you want and I'll walk down with you when we all go to the reaping" he says I just nod and head off to the shack we call home but before I do that I head over to the Hawthorne's house before Gale gets back knocking on the door waiting for Hazelle to come and answer. She opens the door and greets me with a hug and asks how we are all coping.

"Katniss had a nightmare this morning but I calmed her down, I also got some deer meat for you and your family it isn't much but it's all I can spare" I say handing over half of the deer meat I had kept for our families. Heck we might as well live under one roof with how we all help each other out. I hope Katniss continues this if I got reaped today so that Prim has someone who will look out for her.

"This is too much Ash you should keep some more of this Posy doesn't eat that much anyway, thank you so much" she replies handing me back a slice or two.

"Gale has taken out tesserae this year for all of us and I told him not to, the child doesn't know how serious this is. If he gets reaped at his age he has no chance of coming back" Hazelle broke down there and started crying, I grabbed her into a hug.

"It's fine, his name is in there six times my name is in there a lot more than that and if he gets reaped I'll volunteer for him, could never imagine me working down a mine anyways" I say trying to comfort her and she stops sobbing and tightens her hold on me.

"Ever since the accident, I have viewed you, Katniss and Prim as if you were my own and I know how you feel about your mother and all but it was rough for me as well. She really loved him just as she loves you all she just hasn't gotten the right help you know" she says and I understand what she is saying I just can't believe that she left the running of the family to me, ok I was almost an adult but how was I going to help Katniss and Prim eat when I was supposed to be in school, or in a years time down a in a dark, cold mine all day. I just wished that she would try and chip in, just speaking to us and interacting with Prim who wasn't sure what was going on at the time and to comfort Katniss when she needed it. Instead I had to do all of these things whilst handle my own grief with losing my role model and Pa.

"I better make sure than Katniss is up and that Ma can atleast pretend she's watching over Prim" I say before leaving Hazelle who gives me a sad look before returning to her madhouse leaving me to enter the crumbling house near the end of the row.

I see that Katniss and Prim are still asleep; I nudge the pair of them almost getting punched in the face by Katniss. I chuckle before yanking her arm and putting her on my the back of my shoulders making sure not to smack her head on the sides of the house before spinning her around and placing her on the ground then watching her try and steady herself at which she fails and falls back on the bed before launching herself towards me, she was a fighter to the core, a true Everdeen. I grabbed her mid leap into a hug before whispering into her ear.

"You need to get ready into the dress and come back and help me get Prim's hair ready" I say and she laughs at the end of that remembering my first attempt at braiding which didn't go well to put it lightly and moves out of the room to get ready. I turned back towards Prim smiling.

"Wake up princess, you need to get changed" I say lightly shaking my smallest sister. Prim is eight years old and possibly the cutest little thing in the entire district. Katniss may have me wrapped around her finger but Prim could convince an army of peacekeepers to march against the Capitol and she never fails to amaze me, I was planning on buying her a goat for her birthday and I had my eye on one. It wasn't the healthiest looking goat but if I could get it for a reasonable price then it would definitely make the money back. I would get Katniss to buy it later to help her learn some social skills; the girl doesn't talk to anyone other than me and Prim.

"Come on up you get our golden little angel" I say trying to coerce her out of bed to get dressed, prim is also the only child to look like Ma with her blonde hair and blue eyes. She used to get bullied at her school due to her being from the Seam so she didn't fit in with the merchants and since she looked like a kid from the merchants she wasn't liked by the Seam children at first. I sorted it out in person by talking to several of the kids older siblings that if I heard about one insult about her I would make them regret it. Needless to say most of the kids got the message. Don't pick on Prim.

Finally she sat up and got out of bed, slipping into some of her normal clothes. She was safe for a few more years so she would stand at the observation area at the back with those who had family members inside the reaping. After she finished getting dressed she turned to me and smiled.

"How do I look?" she said

"Like the most beautiful princess in the world" I replied giving her a hug and a kiss on the forehead to which she responded by give me a squeeze as if trying to crush me and rested her head on my shoulder.

"Don't go to sleep again angel" I warned smiling and I heard her laugh.

"Katniss she's ready for the hair beautifying" I said smiling at the end and Katniss came in smiling whilst Prim began giggling.

"Come on little duck tuck your tail in" Katniss said whilst putting her shirt into her skirt, she raised her head and looked at me and the smile disappeared.

"Ma wants to speak to you in the kitchen. I can finish Prim's hair and get her ready for today so don't worry" she said nervously. Before she could carry on with Prim's hair I leant down and pulled the pin out of my back pocket before putting it onto her dress.

"What is this?" she said looking at the pin with curiosity

"It's a mockingjay pin, to protect you" I say kissing her forehead before leaving the room to see what my mother wants, I couldn't remember the last time Ma had spoken this year so I entered the living room to find her standing there with reaping clothing and a sad look on her face.

"It was your fathers, I thought you might want to wear it" she said opening up, did she not know what she put us through I thought. I put on my clothes to go to reaping whilst I was listening to her first words for nearly a year. The hurt, anger, rage all boiled over and the raging inferno of my emotions were set loose upon her.

"That's the first thing you say after you completely abandon and ignore us and left us to fend for ourselves. I have had to look after everyone here as well as deal with Pa's death, we all suffered Ma but we needed you and you left us with nothing. No comforting words, no food and no security. Poor Prim has had to lose both her parents at the age of eight and Katniss has been destroyed by this, she doesn't talk to anyone at school and I have had to comfort everyone and work to provide enough so we don't all starve to death whilst you stare out a window unaware to our suffering. The least you could have done was help with the girls and help around the house" I say with tears in my eyes towards the end. But they are all wasted I suspect she won't stay like this very long, she will probably give up again and go back to her room to stare out of the window. I would just have to get Katniss in half an hour.

 **Chapter finished**

 **Tell me what you think Good? Bad?**

 **Reviews are welcome. Flames will be added to fire of the rebellion.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Fire and Ash:**

 **A/N I have changed Katniss and Peeta's Age by one year making them both 17 by the 74** **th** **Games and Prim's age is reduced by one year making her 12 by the 74** **th** **games, also I do not own the songs they are owned by their respected owners and companies.**

 **Chapter Two: Reaping**

I knocked on the door to the Hawthorne's house and was let in by Hazelle who quickly ushered me inside seeing that I was upset, I sat down on the couch and put my head in my hands and just tried to calm myself down taking deep breaths and exhaling like a gust of wind in winter. After around five minutes of sitting I looked up to see Hazelle waiting in front of me.

"She spoke today for the first time today" I said whilst looking back down at the floorboards with a neutral expression despite remembering the shouting that I had done and how she decided that after nine months it was acceptable to assume a motherly role and to slide back as if nothing had happened, like she hadn't left us all to die.

"You should try supporting her you know Ash, it's been hard for you but now that she is coming back you should help her back into the role, the girls need her as well as you. You were given so much responsibility too quickly and now it's time to hand some of it back to her. I will also talk to her and try to help back to how she used to be as I can relate to what she went through how does that sound?" she said looking me in the eye and what she said made perfect sense, maybe handing over some of the responsibility back onto her wouldn't be a bad thing. She could prove herself to me that she was capable of looking after Prim and Katniss or atleast support them. I was still sceptical as I glanced back up to Hazel who no doubt could read the expression on my face.

"You have nothing to lose here if she returns to normal then you don't have as much on your shoulders and you get your Ma back and if she doesn't come back then you have lost nothing from what you started with. You need to be there for her so she can be there for Katniss and Prim, remember that it isn't all about you here and your opinion of her" Hazelle was wise beyond words and I knew deep down that I should give her a chance of reconciliation and in my heart part of the innocent child just desperately wanted his ma back, but my anger prevented me from lowering my suspicion.

"Thank you Hazelle I needed this, I better get back to Katniss and make sure she isn't having a panic attack" I said whilst heading for the door but she stopped me and reached up to my collar and straightened it causing me to chuckle.

"No problem Ash, we will see you in a few minutes to walk to the square together and remember give her a chance" she looked pointedly at me with a small smile on her face. I gave her a hug before leaving the house.

The walk back to the house felt like it was across the other side of the district as I was lost in my thoughts, was I really unfair to my Ma? Did I do enough to try and get her back from her state? I fed her myself but I didn't try and get her out of the room I just left her and tried to support Katniss and Prim. Maybe she wasn't the only one to blame perhaps I had been too harsh before and had taken out all of my grief on her which in hindsight was completely unfair.

I entered the house and saw that everyone was standing ready to go; I looked at Ma who was standing in the middle of Katniss and Prim in a group hug. I went over to her and gave her a hug from behind causing her to jump slightly which made chuckle a little.

"I'm sorry about before Ma" I whispered so only she could hear me. She broke the hug with the other two and turned around, reached up with her hand and stroked my face and then brought me into a death grip hug which surprised me at first, one with the strength she possessed and two how it felt like I was safe inside the embrace. Safer than I had ever felt for the past year and I melted into it wrapping my arms around her and squeezing just as tightly.

"I know what I did was wrong and I cannot say how sorry I am to you all but I... the shock of not seeing your father around me and the house just put me in a state of shock. One day you will know what it is like to love another that it almost kills you when you are apart" she said out loud to everyone in the house before looking back to me. I didn't want children, providing for four people was already challenging and providing for a child and a wife just seemed too much to bear, also the inevitability of the child going through the reaping and being powerless to stop the capitol from taking the child to fight in the hunger games. I was brought out of musing by Ma's voice.

"You look just like him you know? Same height, same eyes, same hair and even the same personality. I just wish that I had not been in a state of depression for such a long time not to support you, your father wouldn't have wanted this but I couldn't help it" she was crying by the end and both Katniss and Prim joined the hug with Katniss being the last to join probably slightly suspicious at her sudden change. I was at first but if she was well and truly coming back then she would able to help run the house again which was enough for me.

"I think it's best we leave for the reaping now, we wouldn't want the peacekeepers to come to the house and punish us" I said remembering what happened to a family who didn't attend the reaping, they were all publically whipped despite the laxness of the peacekeepers, they needed to show that skipping the reaping was still very much against the rules. You were only exempt from the reaping if you were on deaths door and they still sent peacekeepers to check if you were really ill.

We left the house together and met up with the Hawthorne's so we could all walk together, I stayed by Katniss' side with Ma on my right and Prim on the other side of her. I looked at Katniss who was starting to tremble; I took her hand in mine and made her look at me as we waited at the end of the street for the Hawthorne's.

"Kitty Kat, you are going to be fine. I will protect you and so will your mockingjay pin you have nothing to worry about. Now you need to look strong, we Everdeen's are a tough bunch and we don't show fear to anyone or anything you got that? I'll always be there for you, no matter what" I say looking her directly in the eyes and pulling her into a tight embrace. I could feel her nod her head so when I heard to the Hawthorne's approaching I let her out of the hug and saw that she had a determined look on her face, my little mockingjay I thought to myself.

"Hello Hazelle" I said as our two families merged into one, this was how I always hoped that our families would remain. We would help out each other like we were all related, despite not having any blood relations we all looked like one big family with our natural Seam look except Ma and Prim who looked like merchants but they were still as much my family as Katniss and Pa were.

"Hello Ash, Katniss, Prim and Eve. Good luck today" Hazelle said as we all headed off towards the justice building which is in the middle of the district, the square is usually filled with merchant children running around and playing but today it's more like a gigantic cattle pen with all of district in and around with two unlucky children about to be sent to their deaths. Since district twelve is the most impoverished districts we don't have people who are naturally prepared for the games or willing to go to their deaths as we have only had two victors in sixty eight years, one of whom is dead and the other. Haymitch Abernathy is known as the district drunk, he won the second quarter quell or the fiftieth games where twice as many people were reaped leaving forty seven dead children and one victor as usual. I was conceived in the year in which our district received food and supplies from the Capitol, so I guess I can owe my existence to him in a creepy sort of way.

Many people were already there most of the merchant children were lined up as they don't have their names in the reaping bowl as many times as most kids from the Seam, this is one of the reasons that the two communities don't get along with each other. Very rarely does a merchant get reaped as most Seam families need their children to take out tesserae to keep them from starvation. Not that the tesserae actually provides much for the families who take it, a pitiful amount of grain and some oil doesn't help keep a family fed for weeks on end.

After getting close to the square we had to split off from Ma, Hazelle, Posy, Prim, Rory and Vick as we were approaching the gates where the peacekeepers take a sample of your blood to make sure that you are here, I suppose it also allows the Capitol to keep a track of the population and the amount of males and females of different age groups. At seeing the people getting their blood taking Katniss got a little stiff at the sight.

"Don't worry Kitty-Kat it doesn't hurt, only a little" I say going first to show her, handing my hand over to the peacekeeper who zaps my finger and then presses it onto a piece of paper which has other information on it. She then scans the blood which reveals my name and age afterwards she tells me to move along.

"Stay close to Gale and I will find you after the reaping Kat" I say as I move towards the front of the stage where my own age group are corralled like cattle waiting for the abattoir that was the hunger games for the outline districts.

After a short wait for everyone to be registered in, a woman in a bright blue wig and dress with pale white make up on came to the stage and tapped the microphone that was set up on the stage otherwise known as the justice building entrance.

"Welcome, Welcome and Happy Hunger Games!" Effie Trinket, our district escort to the Capitol with such enthusiasm as if we all enjoyed the possibility of being sent into an arena and brutally murdered for sport and entertainment. She must have been expecting a response but typical of our district we all just stood there and did nothing, an eerie silence fell in the square to avoid anymore embarrassment to herself Effie introduced the playing of the history of how the games first were introduced and how the Dark Days, when the districts rebelled against the Capitol and ultimately lost and a district was destroyed the infamous thirteen. The film made it sound like we were the bad guys and that the capitol was simply ensuring that peace. I had heard this film six times and I could practically recount every word just as Effie was miming on the stage, the film finished and Effie took to the microphone again.

"The time has come to select a courageous young man and woman to compete in this year's Hunger Games, as usual ladies first" she said abandoning the microphone and heading over to the large reaping bowl to the right of the stage, this was where I was holding my breath. Don't let it be Katniss, don't let it be Katniss, don't let it be Katniss. The voice in my head kept repeating.

"The female tribute for district twelve is" I thought I was about to faint.

"Katrina Coulson" I must have sighed so loud because a few people standing around me turned and looked towards me with angry expressions matting their faces, I just did my best to ignore them Katniss was safe for another year but a wave of guilt him me as I saw how young she was, it was also her first reaping year twelve years old and her life was about to end so abruptly.

"and now for the male tribute..." she made her way over the stage in her ridiculous high heels, how did she even balance in them let alone walk across a stage. She reached in rummaging around and my heart quickened and time slowed down with each rotation that her hand made in the endless number of names and then finally she pulled one out and the whole square held its breath once more.

"The male tribute for district twelve is..." she said as she was trying to open the up the card with some unlucky person's name on it.

"Ash Everdeen" she proclaimed outwards causing everything to go quiet, all noise went from my senses and I could only hear the pounding of my heart and the evenness of my breathing. It suddenly hit me that I was probably never going to see my home district again as I made my way up to the stage trying to look as fierce as possible for the cameras and continued down the middle when I heard someone scream my name. I turned my head and saw Katniss.

"ASH!" she exclaimed trying to rush to me only to be stopped by two peacekeepers as they gripped her hard as she started to scream in pain whilst still trying to shake free twisting her body around trying to get loose like a fish out of water, that set me off running towards them in a fury that could match hell's fire. I pushed my way through the peacekeepers blocking my way backwards and threw them off and gripped her in a fierce hug.

"Come Kat, I'll see you soon remember you get to say goodbye in the justice building. Rather me than you my little mockingjay" I said standing up and pushing her towards where Ma was waiting, I was then grabbed and pulled towards the stage by four rather large peacekeepers who pushed me down the aisle and up towards the stage.

"Well that was quite the impression you made, was that your sister" Effie asked me looking at me expectantly

"Yes, it was" I said answering her question receiving a glare from her for some reason unbeknownst to me.

"Well come on tributes shake each other's hand" I moved over to the trembling girl from the Seam and pulled her into a hug.

"I'll keep you safe in the arena" I whispered to her and she relaxed a little, I let her go and shook her hand. When I looked out to the crowd of people I saw everyone there kiss their three fingers and raise them into the air. A sign of respect; and the mourning of a loved one, I looked to Katrina and also did the gesture followed closely by her.

"Happy Hunger Games and May the Odds be ever in your Favour!" Effie says cheerfully into the microphone. We were taken into the justice building to wait seeing our friends and family for a final goodbye, I was pushed into a room next to the one that Katrina was placed in and I took a few moments to grasp the situation. I had not only encouraged an act of defiance but I had also attacked peacekeepers on national television with the whole of Panem watching, I was as good as dead in that arena and maybe my family would be at risk. I would have to apologise the first moment I got in the Capitol.

My thoughts were interrupted when Katniss, Prim and Ma came bursting through the door all had tears on their faces. I looked towards Prim who looked distraught so I knelt down to her height and pulled her into a hug though I could still hear the heart wrenching sobs.

"sshhhh come on now little princess don't cry, you will ruin our clothes and your good looks. As long as you are safe. I would go through one hundred reapings to keep you from harm, remember to look after Katniss and Ma for me? Make sure they keep out of trouble and I'll be back before you know it" I said to her whilst squeezing the smallest Everdeen. I moved onto to Katniss this one was going to be the hardest, as she was perhaps the most mature twelve year old despite having the social skills of a dead squirrel. She was going to have to provide for the family until Ma found a job which might not happen anytime soon.

"Kitty Kat now you have to be strong, remember where the bows are in the woods and remember to trade with the butcher and baker for food and more money and the Hob for essentials. You're the head of the house till I return Kat so look after everyone and if it looks like I'm gonna die in the games remember to look away along with you Prim" She nodded her head with a determined look on her face, that's my girl Pa would be proud of her. I gave her a kiss on the forehead and a tight squeeze before going onto Ma.

"I've just got back to you and now you're being taken away from me, I am so sorry..." she managed to say before the peacekeeper came in shouting that their time was up and ushering them out. It would be the last I would see them I thought to myself, twenty two other kids who would be trying to kill me atleast four of them highly trained sociopaths who had no conscience when it came down to killing fellow innocent children.

To my surprise the door opened and the baker Mr Mellark came in, I hadn't traded with him for a long time so him making an appearance was definitely unexpected.

"Hello Ash, sorry about you being reaped in all, it was your last year if I remember correctly. I had all three of my boys in there today, I thought you would like something from home before going to compete in the games so I brought you a cupcake from the bakery" he said awkwardly before handing the food over, it looked tasty but I didn't really have the heart to eat with all these thoughts about the games and how my family was going to cope. Perhaps I could get Mr Mellark to help.

"Guess the odds weren't in my favour" I joked. "I need to ask you a huge favour, could you look out for my family whilst I'm not here. If Katniss you know picks up hunting and comes to trade with you could you help out? it's a lot to ask but I need some assurance that my family won't starve" I finished looking at him with a half dejected look on my face, it was really too much to ask for anyone in this district to help support another family as many were struggling themselves to keep afloat.

"I'll look out for Katniss and your family don't you worry son. Just try and get back here firstly and then they'll be safe from starvation and freezing in the winter" Mr Mellark finished, just as he did so a peacekeeper then came and told him that time was up.

The last person to come in was Gale though I couldn't say I wasn't completely shocked or expecting this. He looked tense and a look of anger displayed across his face, the way he marched over towards me was strangely intimidating despite him being five years my junior but he held this focussed look in his eye like he had prepared a message to tell me.

"You can win these games Ash, you've probably got more experience than over half of the other tributes and your great with a spear as well as with a bow and arrow. Just show them how good you are and they'll give you anything to make it more entertaining for them... its' all they want" he finished darkly with a look of disgust across his face.

"Listen Gale, I need you to help Katniss support Prim and my Ma. She won't accept charity and she won't know how trading works and how to do it so she can get the best deals. Just be there for her when I can't and if I don't make it back look after them all please" I finished begging towards end trying to avert the tears that were coming to my eyes, I was almost a man grown practically been one since Pa's death and I had never cried then and I would be damned to hell if I was going to now. Fighting back the tears I put my hand out and Gale grasped it in his giving it a firm shake which then turned into a hug.

"I'll see you again Gale and if not then I guess it's goodbye" I said with a smile on my face. As I finished pulling out of the hug the peacekeeper burst back inside saying it was time to leave for the station, nodding a final goodbye to Gale I was then led into an all black automobile at the back of the justice building with loads of photographers taking pictures of me as I was escorted into the car, as soon as the door was shut the car's engine came to life and immediately took off towards the train station throwing me into the back of the driver's seat un ceremonially causing Katrina to laugh a little but Effie to frown at me, all that woman ever did was frown at me.

I looked back across to Katrina and saw that her eyes were red and that she was shying away from Effie who looked like a maritime ghost with her bright white make up, I had to admit I was slightly off put and I was six years older than the little girl who was trying to remain calm. I leant over to whisper in her ear.

"I don't know what's scarier Effie's outfit or the games" I laughed when I got a stifled giggle from Katrina though it disappeared when the car stopped and you could hear the noise outside the station. To reassure her that I was there for her I gripped her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"One of us is getting back do you hear me, I'll make sure of that. Now I'm going to need you to put on your bravest face Katrina, we don't want to look weak for the other districts" I said firmly and to her credit she wiped her face and put a stern face on. I opened the door to my side and helped her out as we walked together towards the train with cameras clicking both sides of us. Eventually after what felt like an hour we made it to the train and we were directed to stand and face the audience on the train before we set off. A frenzy of flashes ensued and I thought I was going to go blind then we were guided into a carriage that looked stunning.

The place looked regal with platinum chandeliers with furniture that looked like it had been handmade by extremely skilled craftsmen, a closer look around the corner and there was a dining table that was piled with endless types of food. As a child growing up where food was scarce at times this seamed ridiculous as I could gather this food was just for us, Effie and Haymitch if he turned up. This could feed mine and Katrina's family for weeks and it was all mostly going to be wasted and thrown away, I could feel my hatred for the Capitol rise. Why some of this food couldn't be used to feed some of the poorest people in Panem was beyond me and I guess in the hands of our 'President' who despite his title was never elected by anyone from districts and held a firm grasp on all of the people in Panem.

I took a seat at the table and grabbed some of the food with my hands and quickly begin eating which again horrifies Effie who goes off complaining about how poor my table manners are. The exotic food was filling but was starting to make me feel sick, maybe I shouldn't have eaten so much so quickly a bitter afterthought and taste rising up my throat.

I looked and saw Haymitch stagger in from what I supposed was the liquor storage carriage on this damned train. He took a seat across from us and took a swig from a flask and then belched quite loudly laughing to himself, I looked across to Katrina and she looked scared of him.

"Will you stop scaring her?" I asked looking pointedly towards him.

"If she is scared of me then she has no chance in the arena with trained killers looking for sport" He says back slurring a few words, his response had made Katrina feel worse and she looked a ghostly pale white that's when I had enough.

I got up and grabbed the liquor of him and poured it onto the floor, whilst staring directly at him waiting for him to do something. He threw a lousy punch which would have hit my jaw, but I was expecting it and caught his wrist mid swing, using the momentum from his punch I spun him around and pushed him back into the chair.

"When do we start training, one of us is getting back this year and you have done it before so you are going to help us as it is your job" I said sternly looking him straight in the eye, it was at that moment that I saw something behind those eyes as if he was more than just a sad old drunk more like a flame that had been extinguished for years had been coerced back to life.

"Such a rush normally most of you aren't so eager" he paused as if contemplating a great philosophical thesis before continuing slowly but clearer than before "I'll tell you what. If you allow me to work with you do exactly what I say, I'll promise to stay sober enough to help you through the games, is that a deal?" he asked holding his head as if it were pounding like it probably was, I had drunk some of Ripper's alcohol and woke up the next day with a thundering headache. He was getting up out of his seat and I knew that I needed to act quickly to keep him to his proposed deal.

"Deal" I said for the both us.

"I'll see you in the morning and we can begin 'training'" Haymitch said making quotation marks with his fingers before stumbling back to his room. I looked back towards Katrina who looked a little bit more relieved at hearing Haymitch's proclamation.

"Best get some sleep little one, it's a big day tomorrow" I said looking outside to the already darkening horizon indicating that night would soon be upon us. I led the way to where our designated rooms were. I was slightly irritated at the fact above the doors it said 'district 12 male and female' like they couldn't even be bothered to put our names above the doors. I sighed wished Katrina a good night and then moved into my room.

I walked towards the window that was alongside my bed and looked up at the night sky with all the stars shining across the horizon and I wondered if Katniss, Prim and Ma were looking up to this very constellation of stars. We learnt some useless information regarding them in school along with the usual rubbish about coal and the dark days.

After looking outside for an hour I was ready to go to bed when I heard a knock at my door, wondering who it might be, I opened the door looking down to find Katrina standing in pyjamas that looked a little too big for her staring up at me with tears in her eyes.

"I can't sleep I keep getting nightmares could you sing a song for me, everyone says that your family have good singing voices" I was a little shocked at the comment but knew it was partially due to Pa, he used to sing in the woods and when he did the birds stopped to listen I suppose me and Katniss inherited the ability from him. Prim didn't really know any songs and she seemed a lot more like Ma than me or Katniss.

"Ok, but I'm not going to carry you if you fall asleep in here so back to your room" I said following her as she walked down the hallway to her room as if she was in a rush. She suddenly turned into a room where the door was still open that I almost missed.

"Will you sing to me now?" she said after jumping under the covers excitedly.

"Sure thing Kat" I said out of habit.

" _Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when you awake, the sun will rise._

 _Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

 _Deep in the meadow, hidden far away  
A cloak of leaves, A moonbeam ray,  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

 _Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you" I sang softly_.

Katrina had drifted off part way through the song but that didn't stop me from completing it, she looked at peace now which would hopefully get her though the night. It felt nice to sing the song as it reminded me of home. I tucked in the covers so they cover her completely and readjusted her pillows so she would sleep easier, looking back at the little girl I knew I couldn't kill her, she didn't deserve this no twelve year old did. How the capitol could get enjoyment from watching little children dying on their own with no one that cares for them often not in harsh conditions were beyond me.

I went back to my room for some sleep; as soon as I got into my bed I was out and soon plunged into the abyss of unconsciousness waiting for tomorrow when our training would begin if Haymitch remembered.

 **Chapter complete. Whatcha think?**

 **Good? Bad? Meh?**

 **See you next time when Ash and Katrina get their first glimpse of the Capitol and hear some survival advice from the Victor of 12 Haymitch. (I love how Woody portrayed him in the movies, one of my favourite characters in the show) :P**

 **I have a plan to write a sequel to this story but I'm extremely busy with my job giving me little time to actually work on the story :/ plus I managed to badly sprain both my wrist playing football/soccer...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Safe and Sound**

 **A/N I have changed Katniss and Peeta's Age by one year making them both 17 by the 74** **th** **Games and Prim's age is reduced by one year making her 12 by the 74** **th** **games, also I do not own the songs they are owned by their respected owners and companies.**

 **Chapter three: the Capitol**

I woke up after one of the most fitful night's sleep since Pa died, nightmares of the incident occurred now and then. Everyone remembers the incident that was one of the biggest explosions in living memory; I was at school when it happened. The ground started to shake and we were all rushed outside as the teachers thought that the building would collapse then we saw the explosion and the coal dust coming from up the elevator shafts floating into the air covering the district with a thick black cloud for days. I heard that Pa never made it out from some of his workmates and they gave me their condolences little did it help, I just wanted my Pa back.

I sat up in the bed and decided that I wasn't going to get anymore sleep after that, whenever I woke up early I just went out hunting which took my mind of problems but being on this train as well as being constricted wasn't helping me try and calm down, so I went to what I hoped was the washroom. I looked inside and saw a shower; Pa had said that they had them in the mines to help get rid of the coal on the miners' faces and bodies. The rest of the Seam didn't have them and very few merchants had them from what I had overheard at lunch in school.

I walked towards the shower cautiously as if expecting a muttation from the games to ambush me on my way to the shower, that would be a great way to die I thought cynically to myself. I saw a vast array of buttons inside the shower and was confused about which button to press to turn on the water. After a couple of errors and having a rainbow effect going down my body with different fragrances and colours the water finally came on and I was surprised to find it warm. If we wanted a warm bath back in twelve we had to boil the water first before entering the tub. I showered for around twenty minutes before exiting the shower looking for a towel when suddenly jets blasting hot air from the floor started to dry me completely. I guess that's one thing I like about the Capitol I thought to myself.

After the shower I look at the dresser to see if I could find anything comfortable to wear for the remainder of the journey to the freak show that is the Capitol, to my shock there seems to be an assortment of clothes that look okay to wear. There was pretty formal clothing among the large wardrobe but I saw jet black trousers along with a shirt, I put them on and they felt really constrictive like they were a medium sized top. I didn't want to change out of it because it was the only top I liked as the others looked far too over the top for me to even consider wearing.

I wandered out to the carriage we were in yesterday and found Haymitch, Effie and Katrina sitting at a table eating breakfast which was a pallet of toasted bread with a variety of sauces to enhance the flavour. I opened the carriage door and Effie then turned around.

"Good morning, I was just coming to get you for your breakfast today is a very big day as we will be arriving in the Capitol and then you will go to the remake centre so you can be made beautiful for your fellow tributes parade. Gosh I just love this time of year, the glamour of all the people in the Capitol. Even though you aren't here for very long you get to experience the Capitol lifestyle and the possibility of winning great honour for your district" she finished rather excitedly trying to even her breathing to calm her down. How can these people enjoy this? I glanced over towards Haymitch who simply rolled his eyes before pulling out a flask and pouring it into his coffee, that reminded of last night and I took off towards him to begin getting advice for me and Katrina.

"You remember our arrangement Haymitch?" I asked hoping he did as I doubt I had the patience to deal with him and re convince the drunkard to try and help us. He rubbed his head and took another swig of the coffee/whiskey mixture before nodding.

"You wanted advice on how to win the games?" he questions back whilst buttering a piece of bread before stuffing it into his mouth which causes Effie to leave the table and go sit by the window talking to herself about manners.

"First of all, there is no winner only one survivor. These games destroy you mentally as well as physically. I can give you one piece of advice whilst in the games" he finishes looking at the next piece of bread he's going to devour.

"What's that?" I ask

"Stay alive" he bursts into laughter which I didn't appreciate and proceed to grab him by his shirt and pull him up against the carriage wall.

"You think that's funny, you think our lives are a joke? Well to me there not and one of us is getting home and if I need you to help me do that then you will do it. Katrina has a family and so do I who I need to get back to and you won't be the one that stops either one of us from getting back, you hear" I growl out at him letting him sink back into his seat.

I go back and sit next to Katrina and grab some toast and start buttering them up. I grab a few strips of meat from the table and begin eating, not trusting some of the colourful looking plates of food. I don't look back up to Haymitch until he starts speaking again a few minutes later.

"You wanna know how you survive? You get people to like you" he pauses looking at my shocked expression "Not what you were expecting, well when you're out in the freezing cold, or dying of dehydration or wounds. A box of matches, bottle of water or medicine can save your life and all of them come from sponsors and right now kid, you aint off to a good start are you?" he finishes still looking at me as well as glancing towards Katrina.

"First things first, when we get off the train I want you to stand straight and keep walking don't stop to answer questions just keep moving, look like the games are below you and you little one stay as close to him as possible" he stops making sure that we are listening, this is the sort of help we need so I decide to keep quiet and listen.

"When you get inside the remake centre you will be taken to your stylists, whatever they do and I mean whatever you must not resist. It is crucial otherwise they'll cover you in a coal dust outfit that leaves little to the imagination, the process will also be much shorter if you don't cause any problems" He looked deadly serious about this so I decided to go with it what could they really do to me?

We go into a tunnel to go under the mountain range that surrounds the capitol, it is said that these natural peaks offered better protection than any fortifications as many of the rebel soldiers would have to scale them whilst under heavy fire. The tunnel sucked the light out from windows allowing me to glance at a reflection in the glass and strangely it wasn't me who I saw but Pa. This brought back the painful memories and suddenly I feared for my life deep under the rock not wanting to die I shut my eyes and zoned out from the world around me allowing memories to come back.

 _Flashback: early morning, day of the explosion._

 _I had been woken from my sleep by hearing the floor boards creak signalling that Pa was going to be leaving to go to his shift very soon, I hastily got up as was our tradition for me to send him off and wish him a good day. I scrambled to find my previously discarded top and found the same worn trousers that seemed to have survived the dark days up until now by how they looked. I crept quietly as to not disturb Katniss_ _and Prim from their snooze I would wake them up before they were required to go to school as with Pa and me hunting in the woods it enabled the two girls to stay in bed and not need to try and get food._

" _Pa?" I whispered rounding the corner into the living room, there was no sign of him. I continued my search and saw a note hastily written on the counter. I walked carefully not wanting to disturb Ma or my little sisters._

" _Good morning son, I'm sorry we couldn't spend some of the time we do in the morning but there's been some problems down in the mine and Hawthorne says that they need our team in as soon as possible to sort out the problems down near the bottom of the mine._

 _I'll see you later for some hunting and I'll tell you all about my day as usual. With Love, Pa._

I came back to my senses silently coming over the sudden memory; I never saw him as he said as the explosion shook the ground and buildings for miles, even toppling some of the trees at the edge of the woods. The noise was near deafening after the first few explosions and then silence. No one could believe what had happened ten minutes, after the first explosion all the miners who were off from their shifts had made their way to the mine to help remove rubble and search for survivors not caring that they were half awake. I ran straight from school when we were told to exit the building and made my way to the mines. I was given a miners hat to protect me from other debris and we all began moving what we could and we managed to recover over one hundred workers but there was no sign of any of my Pa's team.

Later that day a miner from my Pa's team was rescued but he brought bad news; I can still remember the moment that he gave the worst news in my entire life.

 _I had just moved some debris and found a narrow passage and saw someone who was covered in earth and dust from the coal, I moved as much as I could careful not to disturb any of the rocks that could cause an abrupt collapse of the rock above us. After what I thought was an hour I could pull the miner out, doing so slowly to not injure him anymore. I put him over my shoulder and carried him back up to the entrance where the sun temporarily blinded us._

 _I placed him down so I could quickly look him over to see for any obvious signs of serious trauma on the head and torso finding badly bruised ribs and a concussion from when some rocks fell on him. "Can you hear me? What's your name" I asked gazing into his eyes to check for a response, his eyes were still adjusting and his breathing was laboured. Probably due to the coal dust in his lungs I thought._

 _After no verbal response I began calling over another miner to help him to the medical area he quickly grabbed my hand, tugging me down by surprise which resulted in us face to face.._

" _You're Everdeen's son... aren't you?" he asked coughing slightly this made me nervous but I suppose I do look like Pa I thought._

" _Yes" I answered shortly becoming slightly apprehensive of what was to follow after his statement._

" _I saw him and the rest of the team further down in the mine... I was late today and was on my way down when the explosion happened... I was approaching the latest tunnel when we saw some of the boys running back up... saying something about a gas leak from trapped pockets and then all of a sudden... bang... your dad was in the tunnel along with the rest of the team. I'm sorry son" he croaked looking away from me solemnly before being stretchered off wincing in pain._

 _I remember time stopping, the world faded out as the information sunk in and then I rushed back into the mine hoping to prove the man wrong, Pa could survive. He could still be waiting for rescue and I won't let him down, I remembered the way, crawling through the coal layered passageways in some cases. I was met with a wall of debris that none of the machines we had could be used to get through but I clawed desperately trying to move the immovable objects, before I collapsed against the wall crying. I had failed and Pa was likely dead or dying._

 _*End of flashback*_

We came out of the tunnel and were greeted with a bright light which I was thankful for and then a view of the Capitol itself, I had seen glimpses of the Capitol from the mandatory Hunger Games footage that we all had to watch but they didn't do the sight justice. The city sparkled with the reflection of the sun shining on the humongous buildings that dwarfed any in twelve and appeared to reach towards the sun. The Water feature that the railway was placed on was absolutely stunning I hated to admit, I glanced to the side and say Katrina wearing a similar expression on her face but every time I looked at her I was reminded painfully of my sisters, far too innocent and young to be sent to her death for the entertainment of psychopaths and a tyrannical president. What do the games represent? Capitol superiority anyone who has a functioning brain can see that the Capitol holds all the power so the games are pointless.

We were approaching the station now and the platforms were packed with capitolites in a plethora of colours and shapes still too far away to make out anyone one dress specifically. I looked over towards where Effie was only to see her fixing the pink wig on top of her hair before she ushered me towards the glass separating me and the freaks outside, I stood by the window as Katrina rushed over towards the gazing crowd. She started waving and smiling which in turn created applause and various 'awes' and coos to circulate around the platform, Katrina turned around and asked me to wave which caught me off guard. I didn't want to be paraded like some war prize but if it helped us get sponsors I sighed, I swallowed my pride and began waving back standing behind Katrina with one hand on her shoulder for support.

The train stopped and we were shooed to the doors before we were displayed with me standing just ahead of Katrina, Haymitch and Effie just walking behind her to keep her protected from questions and the stares of the capitolites. The doors opened and time slowed down again, we began advancing I raised my shoulders up and put a passive looking face on whilst ignoring the various reporters and spectators screaming our names after several girls around my age from what I could tell tried to jump me we finally arrived at the remake centre for our stylists and costumes for the tribute parade that will be televised to the whole nation, last year district twelve tributes went out covered only in coal dust; something that I don't want to end up doing neither do I want Katrina to be exposed to all of Panem. I remember Haymitch's advice and figure that what he has said so far has made sense so he's probably right about behaving around the stylists.

Me and Katrina were split up and taken by our stylists; I gave her a reassuring smile before being dragged off by three over excitable capitolites. I was pulled around many corridors until we entered what I assumed was the stylist's room unless I had been abducted by three young women, after they had closed the door they looked at me critically and all started to circle around me which creeped me out before one of them spoke.

"Hello Ash isn't it? My name is Juili and we are your stylists" Juili the one with neon pink hair said excitedly, gods kill me now if they are all like this.

"Hello my name is Ceres" the one with bright blue hair in a ponytail basically shouted at me, I winced as my senses were abused in this all white room that was probably bigger than my house.

"Finally I'm Venus!" Venus squealed; she must have dyed her hair also as she had purple hair with what looked like black hair being the original colour with a wavy flow where the two colours clashed. It looked like her hair was on fire which I had to admit looked amazing; she had diamonds in a unique pattern for her wrist spiraling to her upper forearm causing the light from ceiling to reflect into my eyes blinding me.

The atmosphere went silent and wondered if they wanted me to introduce myself despite obviously already knowing my name, I hate to admit it but these girls made me incredibly nervous. I didn't want to be wearing nothing but coal dust.

"I'm Ash" I said whilst awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck to which they responded by giggling and creeping closer circling me like a pack of wild dogs would an injured deer.

"We know that silly, we don't need to do much to you, just a quick wax and tidying up your hair and we should be done in less than three hours" Venus said as if three hours was no time at all, I just stared at her before quickly recovering and trying to hide a grimace behind a small smile. This was going to be fun...

 **Four Hours Later**

After the torture of being plucked, waxed and having my hair tugged and styled in too many variations I was allowed to go to the stylist that has made our district look stupid for nearly twenty years, she was fairly old but you couldn't tell precisely due to numerous cosmetic enhancements. She had bright pink hair and eyelashes which stemmed outwards like open wings on a bird. She turned slightly and displayed an uninterested gaze, she was clearly not happy with representing district twelve.

"Ahh this year's livestock comes at last, I don't know why those three even bother trying to make you look civilised. Animals that's what all of your tributes are, I suppose I should atleast make an effort then hopefully I'll get moved to a higher district" she said in a nasally uneven voice, my anger was spreading throughout my body causing me to shake and the temptation to retort angrily was almost overwhelming. I was taken out of my thoughts by the woman whose name I can't recall from the numerous games I had watched.

"Do you talk boy, please I thought we provided education for all of you" she looked offended just by my mere presence and her reply made it sound like the capitol helped the districts immensely.

"Yes ma'am" I replied gritting my teeth behind closed lips, trying to hold me back from strangling the useless woman.

"Well, I have decided this year we will use the well tested miners outfit but with some modifications to make you stand out beside the girl, you look bigger than most of the other tributes..." She rambled on thinking about possible ideas to maybe add to the costume last minute.

"What modifications?" I interrupted hoping to gain some insight as to whether I was doomed or not.

"Patience boy I was getting to that, only speak when spoken to... As I was saying the modifications are to try and show off your physique as most of the younger females will want to sponsor you if shown correctly. Now where did I put the costume" she finished before going out of the room into another which was behind a mirror.

I was waiting for a few minutes when she finally re emerged from the walk in cupboard holding a box with a miners pickaxe and two piece overalls which where black with orange, yellow and red electronic fabric which made it look like part of the uniform was on fire was actually eye catching. The costume was good comparing to previous years and she caught my expression and probably gathered what I was thinking but didn't say anything.

"You made a strong first impression and I had to build on it, it's up to you now boy" she said with little emotion behind her eyes. She handed me the outfit and I turned around and started to put it on feeling slightly uncomfortable that someone was watching me undress so I sped through it but being careful not to damage the outfit, Once finished I turned around so I could see in the mirror.

My reflection didn't look like me, in my place looked a miner who had walked through the gates of hell and was ready for the games. The costume definitely felt empowering despite the cheesiness of it being a miner's outfit. I only wondered what Katrina looked like, was hers this good or was her stylist lazy as every other year.

"I'd say you're finished with me boy, let's go downstairs to the chariots and get you prepared" she stated and got up walking towards the door; I quickly caught up despite my early stupor and followed behind like a lost puppy. We eventually reached the chariots and I noticed that most of the other tributes were here except the odd one or two, Katrina still wasn't here and I was hastily looking around for her when my eyes landed on the 'careers' the male from two glared icily towards me whereas the district one male looked elsewhere seemingly uninterested, both looked typical to the districts normal look at the tribute parades year in year out with the same colour scheme of pink and silver for district one and gold for district two.

I heard a noise behind me and saw Katrina who was dressed in a coal miners outfit but with no attachments and also it being too big for her, she was struggling to walk properly I looked down and saw that the bottom of the trousers were wrapped underneath her shoes. I walked over towards her by the chariot.

"Need a hand there, Kat?" I asked bending down and tucking the trousers into the large boots on her feet and taking a quick glance at her outfit.

"Feeling nervous?" I asked quietly and she nodded her head slowly and I could see her shaking, grabbing both her hands I leaned next to her ear and whispered.

"I'm scared to, I'll keep you safe just stay next to me and we'll both make it through this. Remember chin up and look tough, shouldn't be hard for you" she chuckled and soon after we were told to take our positions. I lifted her onto the chariot and went alongside her, she quickly latched onto my hand with an iron grip refusing to let go not that I would have attempted to. The truth was that I was beyond scared I was terrified, her being here made it a reality that I needed to protect her just like I had done for my sisters and ma.

Thumping and loud music was all I could hear and intensely bright sunlight before the chariots were pulled out by the horses alone, the chariots left in district order from one to twelve meaning we were last out. When we exited the tunnel and onto the long road towards the president, the sheer volume of the crowd was deafening and my sensory system was overwhelmed in an instant I glanced around and saw our chariot on the big screen with both me and Katrina looking fierce, I decided to wave towards the stands where a large portion of the spectators were sat and receive screams and applause for my efforts.

I nudged Katrina who began doing the same but still staying attached to me, she received 'awws' and shouts of her name which made her blush in turn. I muttered a 'good job' towards her and she tightened her grip on my hand.

We made it to the president who stood up to a microphone and began his same dull speech which I could repeat word for word.

"Welcome! Tributes, we welcome you. We salute your courage and your sacrifice, and we wish you Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour" Snow finished with a slight look of amusement which disgusted me.

After the speech the horses suddenly began moving again nearly taking poor Katrina out of the chariot but I grabbed her and steadied her without anyone noticing luckily. She nodded her thanks and we drifted away from the noise and into the training centre to prepare for the games. We came to a stop with Haymitch and Effie waiting for us.

"Good job kid, let's get going there are a few more things we need to discuss" Haymitch said whilst walking towards the elevator with a peacekeeper standing attentively next to it, he smiled and mock bowed before walking into the elevator with Effie bringing up the rear of our little convoy. She eagerly hit the number 12 on the controls and clapped her hands together whilst releasing an excited squeal as the doors opened on the floor.

"Come on! So this is the living room" Effie began whilst gesturing to a room larger than atleast ten seam houses I was amazed and annoyed at the same time but Effie kept talking pointing out our rooms individually then dismissing us before dinner, I entered the room and noticed that clothes had been stacked on the beds for us. I picked a fresh outfit to wear and chucked the rest into a corner and proceeded to the bathroom and took another shower, this time prepared for the vast array of buttons.

I took this time to think about Katniss, Prim and Ma. How would they be coping? Are they alright? What would they be doing? I hoped that ma held true to her word and tried to support them, I couldn't bear the thought of either one of them starving or being cold in the winter that would come after the games.

Exiting the shower and standing onto the tile which dried me almost instantly, I put on the new clothes and headed towards the living room unsure of where the dining room was located. I bumped into Katrina who had just left her room also.

"Do you know where we were supposed to meet up?" I asked sheepishly, as I looked at her she smiled before grabbing my hand.

"Yeah I think we were supposed to go to the living room and there's a corridor which should take us to the food" she explained before walking fairly quickly towards the destination, I guess she must be hungry I thought to myself chuckling.

We arrived to another table full of various dishes just like on the train with both Effie and Haymitch sat around the table with food already on their plates.

"Nice of you to join us" Haymitch sarcastically voiced his opinion clearly not happy about having to wait before actually eating the food, something Effie must have pestered him about. We took our seats and picked our food from different areas on the table then sat down.

"What did you want to discuss with us before Haymitch" I asked remembering what he said earlier on below the training centre. He took a deep sigh before speaking.

"You did a great job and we've already got some people interested in sponsoring you, it goes without saying that you made enemies today the careers won't be impressed that you guys took some of the limelight away from them. When you are training stay close to each other and don't practice or show off any skills which you are good at, go to the survival stations and learn as much as you can. The environment kills just as easily as a tribute in the arena so you need to know basics.

"The career tributes this year look formidable; this is no surprise as they are trained and usually win every year..."

"Not every year" Effie added trying to be enthusiastic, ever the optimist. Haymitch gave a quick look towards Effie before continuing.

"Right..."

"Are there any weakness which we could exploit" I added hoping that he had noticed something.

"Despite being trained they tend to be over confident and arrogant, if there isn't a clear leader also then they should also be weaker and might kill each other off. Arrogance is a BIG problem within the games" he finished seriously and began eating his food, picking at various meats with his hands Effie looked repulsed and I struggled to hide a grin as did Katrina.

After dinner everyone sat in the living room and put the television on, the channel it was on was the Caesar Flickerman show which showed highlights of the tribute parade.

"I do love this event the colour, the excitement, the emotion, the importance of this event cannot be overstated we only get this opportunity to see the tributes before the interviews" Caesar Flickerman's voice ended building suspense before the chariots came out behind him on the screen.

"There they are, this year's tributes how very exciting!" Caesar continued talking to both his fellow commentator and the rest of Panem.

"Doesn't it give you Goosebumps?" Claudius Templesmith added whilst glancing towards the chariots.

"I love how all the chariots represent what district the tributes come from, showing pride to be representing their districts" Caesar added flamboyantly.

"Look at that one, two power plant workers" Claudius pointed out causing them both to chuckle to themselves.

"And that one, two farmers from District Eleven... Who is that" Caesar added whilst looking towards the back of the chariots already knowing what district. Our chariot.

I saw the colour on my clothing and how it looked like fire was spreading all over my body, it didn't look realistic to the point that no one could guess it was fake but it still stood out and made me look fierce. Despite my inner turmoil at the point in time my face showed confidence and determination, Katrina had pulled off the over sized mining outfit and looked adorable but with a combination which still made her look fierce.

"That must be district twelve, with an unusual display if I must say so myself. It still displays the district but has brought something new. I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT" Caesar laughed after whilst bouncing slightly due to excitement.

"Everyone will be keeping their eyes on district twelve this year, the training scores and the interviews will definitely be crucial this year for sponsors" Claudius commented looking towards the camera along with Caesar before the show ended there.

"You two best get along to bed now, such a big day tomorrow you'll need all your energy" Effie motioned excited about the show and tomorrow even though we weren't looking forward to it.

I went to my bedroom and tried to get to sleep, nightmares about Katniss and Prim plagued my sleep and a light knocking on the door woke me up. I got up and opened the door groggily to find Katrina standing there in pyjamas looking terrified.

"Can you sing me a song?" she asked timidly

"Ok, let's go back to your room and get you settled first" I replied walking sleepily behind her before entering her room. After tucking her in, I sat in a chair near the side of her bed and began singing a favourite of Prim's a fact I didn't realise until I finished the song.

 _Deep in the meadow  
Under the willow  
A bed of grass  
A soft green pillow_

 _Lay down your head  
And close your eyes  
And when they open  
The sun will rise_

 _Here it's safe  
Here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard  
You from every harm_

 _And here your dreams are sweet  
And tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you_

 _Deep in the meadow  
Hidden far away  
A cloak of leaves  
A moonbeam ray_

 _Forget your woes  
And let your troubles lay  
And when again it's morning  
They'll wash away_

 _Here it's safe  
Here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard  
You from every harm_

 _And here your dreams are sweet  
And tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you_

 _Here is the place where I love you_

She had drifted off part way through the song so I returned to my room and fell into a dreamless sleep thankfully.

 **Chapter Over! Hope you guys and girls enjoyed it, any feedback on the story. What you like, don't like would be greatly appreciated. Thank you once again,**


	4. Chapter 4

**Fire and Ash**

 **A/N I have changed Katniss and Peeta's Age by one year making them both 17 by the 74** **th** **Games and Prim's age is reduced by one year making her 12 by the 74** **th** **games, also I do not own the songs they are owned by their respected owners and companies.**

 **Chapter four: Training and Gamemaker session:**

 _Previously_

 _I went to my bedroom and tried to get to sleep, nightmares about Katniss and Prim plagued my sleep and a light knocking on the door woke me up. I got up and opened the door groggily to find Katrina standing there in pyjamas looking terrified._

" _Can you sing me a song?" she asked timidly_

" _Ok, let's go back to your room and get you settled first" I replied walking sleepily behind her before entering her room. After tucking her in, I sat in a chair near the side of her bed and began singing a favourite of Prim's a fact I didn't realise until I finished the song._

 _Deep in the meadow  
Under the willow  
A bed of grass  
A soft green pillow_

 _Lay down your head  
And close your eyes  
And when they open  
The sun will rise_

 _Here it's safe  
Here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard  
You from every harm_

 _And here your dreams are sweet  
And tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you_

 _Deep in the meadow  
Hidden far away  
A cloak of leaves  
A moonbeam ray_

 _Forget your woes  
And let your troubles lay  
And when again it's morning  
They'll wash away_

 _Here it's safe  
Here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard  
You from every harm_

 _And here your dreams are sweet  
And tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you_

 _Here is the place where I love you_

 _She had drifted off part way through the song so I returned to my room and fell into a dreamless sleep thankfully._

Ash woke up in a cool sweat, another chilling nightmare like nights shortly after the mine incident. He decided to get out of the bed he was awake now and wouldn't be able to get back to sleep it was a gift and a curse always aware of the surroundings don't let your guard down falling back to sleep was just as much a threat to him as the wilderness beyond twelve, his subconscious knew this and had adapted… Damage control.

He went over to the refresher and entered the shower desperately soaking in the warm blast of water raining down his body further waking him up, he thought about yesterday, the tribute parade whilst it didn't go as well as it could have they had definitely made an impression he would take anything he could get to help further their chances, despite this he knew only one walked out of that arena and he knew he didn't have the heart to kill Katrina it would be like killing Katniss or Prim to him he shook his head not wanting to think about it anymore. After accidently slipping and pressing numerous buttons he was assaulted with an array of aromas and colour coughing and spluttering. Desperately searching for the 'off' button in a mad scramble which he eventually found, stepping out of the shower to be met with the jet dryers all 'this' was truly overwhelming the fact that the people in the Capitol were technologically ahead by leaps and bounds once more reaffirming it was unlikely that any uprising against the Capitol was likely to succeed.

He journeyed to the dining room after dressing himself in the clothes laid out, everyone was present and looked to waiting for him before eating Haymitch gazed at him pointedly obviously eager to begin eating which amused him somewhat.

"Ash breakfast was to be eaten at 8:30 it is now 8:55 this is inexcusable and quite frankly bad manners" Effie shouted which surprised everyone on the table except Haymitch who most likely had to put up with this year in-year out lucky man I thought sarcastically, Effie was still looking at Ash clearly wanting an apology he decided to relent he didn't need any more problems after all he was going to be fighting for his life soon.

"I'm sorry Effie I'll try to be on time tomorrow" Ash glanced towards Effie before grabbing some sausages bacon and toast from the assorted dishes, best eat the food whilst he still had time as the training began at 9:30 till lunch, Effie seemed happy with herself now so that was good for the rest of the people around the table. Ash glanced towards Katrina who was obviously nervous about today he met her eyes with his and smiled encouragingly gesturing with his head to her plate trying to persuade her silently to eat, it worked a small smile making its way onto her face.

"This is what I want you two to do, stick together and don't go to stations which show your strengths save that for the game maker session, make sure to visit the survival stations as the elements can kill just as easily as a sword or an axe" Haymitch spoke looking slightly hungover resting a glass against the side of his head.

"Katrina you should probably try to practice climbing, often tributes overlook the station but it can save your life especially when being chased down" Katrina nodded whilst eating her food whilst Ash and Haymitch shared a look, nothing needed to be said as the both continued eating.

"Shouldn't we try look for allies?" Katrina spoke up

"This year's crop besides the careers don't look like they could offer that much help, remember the more people you have as allies the harder it is to survive. Food, water and supplies you have to share. You can look for allies but I'd save it for the last day, assess and pick them carefully you can't trust anyone in these games"

The first two days flew by in the training centre with only minor incidents, it was clear that Katrina lacked the knowledge of some of the survival stations but she was determined which helped her master some of the simpler knot tying techniques and practice climbing, should could climb un pressured but that wasn't what worried him. It wouldn't be the same out in the arena he just hoped he could find her when the games began so she wouldn't need to face any of the 'careers', the careers as their names suggested came into this arena with training in how to kill a person as quickly and efficiently as possible they volunteered at eighteen and were highly dangerous and these were no exception. The boy from one, Ace had flaunted his skill with a scimitar he demonstrated great accuracy in his hit but clearly favoured his right side and broadcasted his moves as if he were in a Capitol film. The girl from one was called Aurelia she didn't appear to be as well trained as any of the other tributes and hung on to Ace's arm whenever he wasn't chopping into dummies, she didn't seem like too much of a concern there were far deadlier opponents to watch out for.

Both from two seemed equally as deadly with the girl Alayla I think she was called appeared to favour ranged weaponry particularly throwing knives hitting the bullseye every time she threw them though she could wrestle a 220lb trainer with ease something which concerned me especially, I knew I wouldn't be able to win a grappling fight with either of the careers from district two. The boy Ares was a giant at least 6 foot 5 which was only a couple of inches taller than me but he was 260lbs of muscle he didn't need to fight the trainer he knew he could beat him as did the trainer most likely, Ares had spent most of his time wielding a great hammer which I'd most likely struggle to pick up let alone swing he cockily walked around the dummies only needing to hit them before they splintered off in different directions several of the outer district tributes flinched when the hammer impacted causing the careers to smirk menacingly, pride was a 'big' problem with the careers as Haymitch had pointed out and he could say the drunk man was correct begrudgingly.

"Hi" I turned around and saw the girl from 10 if her training uniform was anything to go by, she had crystal clear blue eyes, blond shoulder length hair with sun kissed skin, she looked nervous but bold. I don't think I'd seen any tribute besides the careers talk to another from a different district, I was currently at an animal identification station. I might know how to kill all the animals in district twelve it wouldn't matter if I had to hunt animals which I had never encountered before and I was struggling to identify some of these desert animals I believe the trainer had told me.

"That's a bark scorpion its sting is really bad if the venom gets into your bloodstream it's nearly impossible to cure unless you know the remedy, it is like tracker jacker venom but more potent. It uses its pincers to trap or latch onto and then uses the tail unlike other animals which bite as its light brown makes identifying extremely tough, I'm Ava, District ten by the way" Ava exchanges her hand

"I'm Ash, District twelve" I shake her hand, perhaps we can help each other learn about various animals maybe even become allies.

"I know your name everyone does, I watched the reaping… I've got a little sister too" she said before looking across the table trying to identify any animals, I noticed she looked perplexed by the images towards the end, one being a bear another being a wild dog common around the outskirts of the seams fence.

"That is a wild dog that we call them howlers the Capitol sent them to our district in the dark days, they usually hunt in packs around the edge of our district. They aren't venomous but they're very territorial if you see one you should probably make for high ground. That animal is a bear I've encountered two before once when I was younger, if you see one slowly back away and bow your head show they are superior but depending on the bear they might just charge you then run" I tried to give some advice back as I felt as though I owed her plus it helped to talk of my home even if I didn't live in the wilderness I certainly felt more comfortably there. I'd probably never hear the forest, touch the bark of the trees or feel the gentle gusts.

"Homesick?" Eva questioned raising her eyebrow questioningly.

"Yeah, never thought I'd miss a coal dust covered town quite as much when I was still there, you missing it 10?" I replied waiting for her response, it wasn't an easy subject to talk about especially with someone you would have to kill to return there, she sighed before beginning.

"Yes, the blazing heat and the sand covered city aint something I thought I'd miss all that much but you can bet your boots I'd give anything to get there away from these damned games, except side with them other course" Eva gestured with her head to where all the careers were gathered at the weapons station.

"I was wanting to try me one of those whips like back home, but I've been told not to show skills by my mentor… darn it" she said dejectedly as she realised what she had revealed, I merely smiled I wouldn't tell anyone and by the look she gave me she realised that also and returned a grin.

I glanced over my shoulder towards the careers, not once did they attend any of the survival stations confident in their ability to obtain supplies through sponsors. District four didn't have any volunteers this year which meant that the career pack would be smaller this could help get one of us back I thought optimistically, I quickly drew my eyes away from the career group hoping not to draw attention on the last day of training before the game maker's session. I turned to Katrina and smiled at what she had said about her school life, I hardly attended the district school especially near the end of the week it was hunting time and the teachers didn't really care about a seam kid not turning up to their lesson, one less kid to deal with I supposed.

The head trainer came over to us all shortly after lunch informing that we were to run an obstacle course, she led us through another door which appeared to have materialised within the time spent eating lunch and now, I made sure to keep close to Katrina though reluctantly we were being separated into genders to take the course up ahead, I reached over giving her an encouraging pat on the back and a small smile before splitting up. A sense of déjà vu just like our reaping I was being separated from Kat, I began thinking if this will end similarly I never did have much luck. The head trainer brought my wavering attention back to reality

"All of you will now run this course it is designed to test your speed and agility I hope your training sessions have helped you prepare for the course, the trainers throughout the course will attempt to hit you, the faster you go the higher score you will attain from the game maker's which will contribute to your final score. If you are hit you will have five seconds added to your time and you will automatically forfeit. The careers went through the challenges fast but received the odd hit or two, Ares was hit three times whereas Alayla wasn't hit at all, Ace only received one hit towards the end of the course and Aurelia received two after finishing she stormed off unceremoniously screeching that it wasn't fair. However, the various tributes after didn't fare much better with the boy from three receiving ten hits and another a girl from six taking seven before falling off the course.

"Ash Everdeen, District twelve," I took deep breaths as I walked towards the beginning of the course, one of the perks of going last was that I could observe how the course was run, where the trainers were most likely to hit which enabled for strategizing and what speed would get you hit or not. I began running across the platforms as if I was running through the woods back home it felt natural, I jumped, ducked and weaved over all the trainers' weapons and was making extremely good time. I however did receive a hit but later during the course which almost knocked me off but I regained my balance before quickly sprinting to the finish. It was the second fastest time which I was ecstatic with it would have been the fastest if it weren't for the hit. I left the area and waited for Katrina by the elevator as tributes weren't allowed to stay after they'd completed the course. Ten minutes later Katrina rounded the corner looking pleased.

"What time you get Kat?" I asked and if possible her smile widened

"fourth fastest" she beamed

"Great job little duck" I took her into a side-hug into the elevator, this meant she would receive a good score hopefully tomorrow

 _Next Day_

We were all sat within the waiting room for a turn at showing off our skills for the game makers, this session was incredibly important, this session helped get sponsors as people naturally wanted to back the high scorers as it was more likely that they won; the games were a betting topic back home for some in the hob and it was clear it was the same here in this infernal place, I began to think of how Katniss, Prim and Ma were doing most likely scared out of their minds hell I knew I was seeing the competition more the careers but there was the odd tribute who was at least proficient with a weapon, District 7's tributes both seemed good with their axes and naturally excelled at climbing which was a worry. I kept Kat away from them and made a note to watch attacks from above if we were indeed inside a woodland arena maybe we could talk to Haymitch about possibly allying with them.

"Ares, district two" Claudius Templesmith's monotone voice came over the intercom taking me out of my inner revel Ares got up looking confident before pacing into the training room eagerly, I glanced around the small compact waiting area with all of us sat on benches. The room was silent which no one dared break, a few of the other tributes were clearly nervous shaking, I could see the 12 year old from district three trying to stop himself from crying. He knew he wasn't making it out and several others seemed dejected to the fate of dying in the arena, not me and not Kat one of us was making it out of here.

"Katrina Coulson District twelve" I looked up again surprised at how I'd managed to completely zone out, I reach out and grab Kat's arm quickly stopping her. I look at her making sure she's paying attention before speaking.

"Remember what you need to show them? Climbing and knot tying, you can do this Kat" I pinch her cheek before smiling earning a light grin from her, a gently shoo her towards the door this time not fading out. It feels like eternity before she comes back out looking a little unhappy I give her a look but she goes off towards the elevator, I guess I'll find out what's up after my session.

"Ash Everdeen District twelve" Here goes nothing I thought as I strode into the room glancing upwards to see the game makers, I could understand Kat's reaction. No one was paying attention all of them were drunk or too busy gossiping, I looked around searching for a bow and a suitable spear. I found a bow but it was different to the one I was used to, I pulled the string to check the tautness it didn't feel right so I began adjusting before it felt familiar.

"Ash Everdeen" I announced to the game maker's trying to gather their attention, I immediately turned drawing back the arrow evening out my breathing as to not disrupt my aim. I released the arrow but it had slipped slightly as I released due to the awkwardly designed grip it hit the target but only in the arm I heard the game makers laughing and my blood began to boil I was determined to prove myself I quickly drew up another arrow realising that I would need to be more cautious upon loosing, This time my arrow hit the heart of the dummy I proceeded to go as far back as I was allowed to by the wall I shot hitting the head of the target. There was a lone game maker whose eyes were still on me he had blond hair and didn't radiate of the pomp that oozed from the others he nodded before writing something down on a piece of paper. I knew I had to gain their attention some way and do something no one had done previously.

"You, spar with me. My Spear vs whatever you have" I shouted whilst pointing at the combat trainer who was officiating the sessions.

"That's not allowed…."

"Go on" I heard the voice and looked back up to see the lone game maker announce his encouragement, this had drawn the attention back towards me from the others and I knew I owed a lot to whoever he was. The trainer simply nodded before retrieving a practice sword whilst he did this I paced to where I spotted the spear that was the same design as the one I had back in twelve but more modernised. The spear shaft was two meters long and had two spear points, the workmanship around where the blade met the shaft was extremely impressive with guards to stop an opponent slicing the wielders hands from below and above the guard, the spear was lightweight despite its size and it felt _right_ in my hands I gave the spear a few spins around my body before placing the weapon forward inviting a challenge, the game makers on the edge of their seats and my life in the balance focus Everdeen you can do this.

The trainer charged forward making to strike high experimentally probably trying to discern if I was actually any good, I parry the strike away with the forward spear point before quickly smacking his lower ribs with the opposite side before pivoting on my heel behind him, he comes back around this time poised he had been made a fool of by someone from an outline district and would not make the mistake of underestimating me again, he rapidly charged towards me trying to close the distance I crouched down ready as he hurtled towards my spear he feinted left and came right swinging heavily, I caught the blade with shaft of the weapon before being knocked back by the power. I wouldn't win fighting like he wanted to I wasn't strong enough I ducked and dodged trying to gain some distance from him, after he missed a decapitation swing I managed to role away from him before going on the offensive his weapon wasn't long enough to outrange mine so I forced him towards the game maker's as he backed up I saw his leg muscles tense meaning he was going to strike I feigned a trip before striking I ducked under his blade before slamming the shaft of the spear directly into his stomach causing him to reel over in pain coughing.

I walked away before the trainer could get back up, mock bowing to the now stunned game makers

"Thank you for your consideration" I walked out wanting to return to the elevator suddenly regretting my actions would they take out their punishment on Katniss, Prim or Ma? Why was I so headstrong and stubborn, I'd most likely pay for this inside the arena or worse Kat and Eva. The doors to the elevator opened and I was met by angry Effie and a smiling Haymitch, wait he can smile?

"You shouldn't have left without being dismissed, who do you think you are mister…"

"What did you say?" Haymitch questioned

"Thank you for your consideration before leaving" I replied and Haymitch let out a hearty laugh

"How can you laugh at a time like this, his actions reflect badly on _**all**_ of us!" Effie's screech made me involuntarily wince in pain.

"ssssshhh Effie the scores are about to come on" Haymitch gestured towards the screen as the anthem of Panem came on gathering the attention of all the district team.

"Good evening ladies and Gentlemen, folks across Panem tonight we bring you the tribute scores, after careful analysis of the tributes training been taken in to consideration along with the individual assessment of their time with the game maker's…" Caesar paused as if to build suspense and boy did it work I was dreading the news, he was then handed an envelope which I presumed to be the scores here we go…

"Ladies and Gentlemen the scores of our tributes"

"District 1 tributes scores are:

Ace: 9

Aurelia: 7

District 2's tributes scores are:

Ares: 10

Alayla: 9

…

Eva 7

Ash Everdeen: 11

Katrina: 7

I was gobsmacked, how…why…what. My mind was blank I couldn't put this together, why would they do this? Haymitch obviously saw my confused expression and came closer to me.

"They must have liked what you showed them, this is also a curse the careers aren't going to know how you got your score and they don't take too kindly to being upstaged but I can work with both of these scores and possibly get one of you out" Haymitch looked beyond happy almost like a flame inside him had rekindled it was great to see but part of me wondered what would happen if neither of us made it back.

"Go get some sleep, you'll need it for tomorrow the interviews are the last step into obtaining sponsors Effie and I'll take you through what you and Katrina need to do, we'll have to pick an angle for the two of you but we can worry about it tomorrow" Haymitch patted my back before shoving me towards the rooms.

I drop down on the bed but what feels like hours of tossing and turning I resign to the fact that I won't be sleeping, I crept outside the bedroom hoping to go up to the roof quietly otherwise the lecture from Effie about ruining her beauty sleep as well as ruining the _big day_. The ignorance of these people was truly astounding…

I was on the roof glancing out around the shining city, the partying capitolite's below celebrating our 'noble sacrifice' as if any of us had a choice besides the careers. The sudden gust of wind drowned out the partygoers, I lay down on the grass before staring at the night sky wondering if these stars I was looking at were up above twelve for Kat to see. It was killing me being away from them worrying if they were eating, if ma there for them or that she dipped back into her shell, I felt helpless for the first time in a long time and I couldn't bare it. I felt as though I was being watched and my instincts had never let me down when hunting. I wondered if it was a career coming to get an early beat down on me whilst everyone was sleeping or distracted partying.

"I know you're out there, come out" I questioned into the darkness, suddenly a figure advanced from the shadows it was clearly female though as she came closer I started to make out more features. It was Eva; what was she doing up?

"Howdy, can't sleep either I see? Mind if I join you my floor is further down and the noise is unbearable" she exasperated, she didn't wait for my response merely dropped down beside me glancing at the stars.

"Forgive me if I'm wrong but usually when someone asks for something they usually don't just take it before the response" I joked, Eva snorted unladylike which I imagine her district escort would scold her for I knew Effie would crucify Katrina for it _bad manners_ she'd say.

"Well where I come from you take what you want and worry 'bout the consequences later" Eva turned her head towards me her flame coloured hair sprawled out comically covering part of her heard, I reached out sub consciously brushing the rebellious strands behind her ear. I realised what I had done and yanked my hand back a deep blush settling on my cheeks and I looked away. I'm such an idiot.

"I… I'm sorry I don't know what came over me" I stammered real smooth I thought to myself.

"I its fine, really should probably thank you I guess couldn't see you anyways" Eva replied smiling obviously finding my current state hilarious. I could tell you how to kill a deer, wolf, howler or a squirrel in one shot, how to track all the above as well fish and forage but I couldn't handle this.

Must be an Everdeen trait one Katniss had picked up I chuckled.

"Look in the mirror Coal boy?" Eva teased

"Real funny Ranch girl, was just thinking about my sister and how we share a common trait was all, I miss them both Katniss and little Prim I would give anything to be back with them even if it meant living down a mine for the rest of my life" I don't know what it was about Eva but I felt at ease around her, unlike anyone else in this godforsaken place.

"Ranch girl? That the best you got for me? I know what you mean, wishing I was back workin' with the sun on my back with my little sister running around unawares of the games, we keep her away from the tv when they're broadcasted help keep her innocence… It's pointless she's gunna find out soon that her world aint all sunshine and daisies" She then tucked herself into me surprisingly.

"It's cold out here, I'm from a warm climate coal boy" Eva childishly spoke although it was muffled due to her head being tucked into my collarbone, I smiled this felt right and it made me angry that what we have now is going to be ruined by the Capitol, I don't know how much had passed but the daybreak was fast approaching we hadn't spoken a word as if either of us didn't dare risk breaking this moment, we both understood what the other was going through and our presences were enough for the others needs. We both split off reluctantly heading towards the elevator, I reached across and pressed the up button to call the elevator to the roof it arrived mere moments after calling, We both tried to enter at the same time causing us to momentarily get stuck we laughed it off before going into a minor argument of who was to go in first eventually I relented, I pressed the number twelve causing the elevator to drop causing me to grab the side of the elevator to steady the queasiness that now filled my stomach and lower back.

"See you later coal boy thanks for…" Eva started not knowing how to describe what had happened and in truth words couldn't really do it justice a simple meaningful act that meant so much more.

"Yeah you too ranch girl, see you at the interviews" I said before turning and sneaking to my bedroom dropping down onto the bed before falling asleep into a dreamless sleep not caring I was still wearing my clothes.

 **Chapter Completed. Longest chapter on either of my stories, sorry for the long delay I couldn't quite picture how I wanted this to pan out and it has delayed me longer than I hoped… I however wont be able to update this story for a little while maybe after Christmas as I have neglected my other story as well as the xmas break coming. As always a huge thanks to reviewers, follows and favourites you guys are awesome.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Fire and Ash**

 **A/N I have changed Katniss and Peeta's Age by one year making them both 17 by the 74** **th** **Games and Prim's age is reduced by one year making her 12 by the 74** **th** **games, also I do not own the songs they are owned by their respected owners and companies.**

 **Hey guys, just letting you know that I've submitted a tribute for a SYOT story by check out the story if your interested in AU Hunger games stories, we're getting closer to the games… who will win? who will die? Fires catching.**

 **Chapter five: Interviews and The Games begin**

" _See you later coal boy thanks for…" Eva started not knowing how to describe what had happened and in truth words couldn't really do it justice a simple meaningful act that meant so much more._

" _Yeah you too ranch girl, see you at the interviews" I said before turning and sneaking to my bedroom dropping down onto the bed before falling asleep into a dreamless sleep not caring I was still wearing my clothes._

District twelve's team was up at the breakfast table when Ash came through into the dining room dressed in a green t shirt rubbing his eyes whilst trying to stretch at the same time, Effie glanced up looking ready to glare daggers and scream the roof off one look from Haymitch seemed to silence her. Probably realising this is one of the only times that he would be able to enjoy this luxury, sleeping in without fear of being murdered by psychopath careers or other tributes.

"Better eat up kid we've got a lot of work before these interviews…" Haymitch spoke with his mouth wide open clearly disgusting Effie who recoiled in horror before looking over towards Katrina and Ash.

"It's such a _big_ day for you two your last chance to make an impression on the Capitol, I will be out for the day mingling with some potential sponsors for you. Don't worry I have everything under control" Effie finished smiling confidently looking at Ash and Katrina the former then glanced to Haymitch raising his brow questioningly Haymitch merely cracked a grin shrugging his shoulders discreetly.

"Well I must be off, wouldn't want to miss out on any wealthy sponsors Cylina wont steal away my sponsors from me this year I can guarantee that" Effie excitedly exclaimed with a smile on her face the makeup making her look like a mutt from a few years back not that Ash would ever say it to her.

"Now that she's gone, I'm going to ask you two if you want to be trained separately or together" Haymitch asked looking between the two this was usually where most decided to split after all only one walked out.

"Together" Ash proclaimed his brow furrowed in confusion, why would Haymitch ask us this he thought. There was no way that he would kill the girl nor anyone outside this arena if he made it out back to his own districts back to his sisters and ma, back to the woods the only place he understood. Haymitch tilted his head in awe of the boy taking a small sip of his coffee.

"Alright then, first things first we're gonna need to figure out an interview angle… you know what I'm talking about?" Haymitch questioned to make sure they were paying attention.

"Yes acting confident or seductive" Ash replied still figuring out what angle either of them would actually take, he wouldn't belittle himself to acting as if he were friends with them nor throw himself at capitolite women he had standards and self respect that not even wanting to get back would diminish his pride.

"I can see from your scowl that you don't want to play that angle although you could probably pull it off, the capitol loves you" Haymitch drawled out the loves before abruptly standing and begins pacing around the living room, Effie would have a heart attack Ash chuckled.

"Katrina, we can play the innocent persona for you see if we can get additional sympathy sponsors but we are going to have to link it with yours Ash if you want this to work, they like you but you have to make them love you" Haymitch went on back and forth trying to decide what to do, Ash had rejected acting like he wanted to kill the other tributes and he didn't want to flirt with them and it was beginning to wear on Haymitch's patience.

"I can't help you if you won't give me something! I can sell flirtatious I can sell def.. I've got it defiant, determined and sympathetic" Haymitch looked at Ash as if challenging him to disagree, Haymitch was frightening when determined Ash would give him that whilst Katrina looked relieved at the fact they were no longer arguing.

"Now lets run over some practice questions for the interview"

"Ash, that was quite the reaping. That was your sister what is her name"

"That's no goddamn concern for them I'm the one that's here in these damned games!" Ash shouted angrily

"It is though… they want to know everything about you and the second you open up at them like that is when you lose the games and your lives, now again another question"

"What do you like most about the Capitol" Haymitch was up in Ash's face trying to provoke any facial floor or sign that he was disgusted with them, hated to a level of unsurmountable proportions they had taken him from his family to be showcased like livestock and forced to fight in an arena with 23 others, one of which he knew it sickened him that they could believe that he loved them and worshipped this opportunity. He was playing there game now and he had to abide by their rules or both him and Katrina were doomed.

"The food… its much better than anything we have in twelve and I'm grateful for the great hospitality that you all have offered me and Katrina" Ash glanced towards Katrina and gently smiled, if he could get one of them back he'd be happy.

"Good, you catch on pretty quick. After the stunt you played at the reaping you'll need to be careful if Caesar asks about it, try and act respectful or humble that you couldn't stand the sight of your sister in pain and it motivated you to do something unthinkable ok? Think you can do that?" Haymitch asked mockingly earning a disgruntled nod from Ash.

Katrina seemed much better at answering her questions and so it went back and forth between the three, Ash developed a knack for handling questions surrounding his time in Capitol but tended to suffer if any questions were directed towards his family or personal life.

"Well it's time to get you all dolled up ready for the interviews your stylists will be here shortly to dress you up, remember what I said especially you Ash this is perhaps the most crucial aspect of sponsors"

"Any more helpful tips" Ash sarcastically asked

"Stay alive" Haymitch joked

 _The Interviews_

Ash glanced around, they were there early among fellow tributes all dressed spotlessly with all personal flaws been removed, no scars allowed to be on show we were there's now and it was obvious he thought to himself that whoever won was always going to be _theirs_ just look at Finnick Odair a prime example.

"Howdy why the long face coal boy" Ash turned around to meet the sound already knowing who it was, Eva in her wrangler outfit, she wore a Stetson cowgirl hat with shin length boots with stirrups making a clanking noise whenever she shuffled on her feet.

"Ranch gir…You look…. Wow" was all that Ash could stumble out causing Katrina beside him to giggle, when she noticed that Eva was looking at her she quickly dove behind Ash's legs suddenly shy of the elder girl. Who could blame her though with the cowgirl outfit on she looked fierce.

"Dang you don't look to bad yourself partner" Eva answered back allowing herself to do once over, his form fitting black jacket and pants with an emerald green undershirt really highlighted the coal boy's muscles and shape rather well Eva shook her head turning her attention back to the little girl Katrina? If she remembered right.

"Who's this little rascal that's stuck to you like a horse to a water trough in the dry summer?" Eva smiled whilst smiling towards Katrina who was currently peaking from Ash's hip like a younger sibling. Ash looked downwards looking expectantly towards his district partner who he gave an encouraging smile to as she gazed up from his pants leg, she begrudgingly let go cautiously as if Eva would attack her now that she wasn't 'protected' by Ash.

"I'm Katrina District twelve, I know who you are Eva Ash talks about you all the time" Katrina introduced herself noticing how both Ash and Eva went bright red with Ash rubbing the back of his neck and letting out a nervous laugh and Eva staring in bemusement at the little girl in front of her before a grin began to form.

"Does he now? Well what else does he tell you?" both now grinning at Ash who's face resembled the dust covered desert of her district.

"I think you two have gotten to know each other enough, I wanted to ask… if you wanted to you know… be allies in the arena?" Ash asked whilst dragging Katrina back behind him eager for her to go back to being shy but she fought against him slipping out and standing near Eva.

"Sure partner, I'll go tell my mentor after the interviews no doubt she'll be pleased been tellin' me to try and get an alliance with some folks but I was adamant that I'd ally with you two" Eva held out her hand and he readily accepted it, she was skilled and knowledgeable and would be a great ally plus he felt as if he could trust her unlike the others. Some of the other tributes began piling into the corridor obviously just finished with the adjustments and now ready for the interviews, the careers were huddled together nearest the stage as the interviews went in the same order as the private sessions.

"I best get in line, speak to you after same place?" Eva said to Ash the last part more quiet as for others not to hear, Ash nodded before she walked over to her district partner both not saying a word to each other.

"So you like her?" Katrina asked barely containing a smile

"She's a friend" Ash spoke with his head firmly focused straight not looking down to Katrina who was now grinning wildly, she kept pulling on his sleeve to get his attention. He finally relented looking down.

"She seems nice, her accents a little strange and how she talks but it could be worse" Katrina glanced round facing Effie, Ash almost burst out laughing the little one could joke it would seem how come everyone was picking on him? He let out a sigh looking back towards the front where District two's Ares was marching up to the stage. Ash was nervous though he tried to look calm for Kat, he'd found himself becoming more attached to the little seam girl as if he'd adopted her as a little sister. It was more likely he saw much of Katniss and Prim combined in this poor girl, Katrina had the seam look frail, grey eyes with dark hair but with the temperament of little Prim.

"So Ares, Are you ready?"

"I'm strong, tough and prepared for anything! Bring on the games" Ares puffs his chest out exclaiming confidently to the crowd, his time in the career

"Thank you thank you, I give you Ares of District two! Haha haha!"

The names drifted in and out for Ash after Ares faces of those he'd have to kill to see his family, to see home, to breathe the fresh air in the forest, to live in a gilded cage slave to the Capitol death seemed such a kinder alternative but he couldn't afford to think like that his family needed him at least for a few more years.

"Thank you, Eva, of District ten Ladies and Gentlemen!" Eva curtsied before strolling off stage confidently Ash envious at how calm and collected she looked, her district escort and mentor were there waiting for her congratulating on the interview. Ash gave her an encouraging smile with a thumbs up in which Eva beamed back, her mentor saw the display and looked sympathetic only one of them was walking out of these games, maybe another time and another place life isn't fair the games are an example of this.

"Katrina, District twelve…" Caesars booming voice came backstage, Katrina's grip on his leg tightened and she looked up towards Ash silently begging him not to let her go but deep down she knew she had to go soon.

"Come on little duck, you'll be fine just remember what Haymitch told us, you'll right Kat?" Ash gently prise her off his leg grateful that she doesn't resist and smooths out her angel's outfit, her angle trying to garner sympathy and to highlight that she was a contender when talking with Caesar, the blood flow in Ash's leg slowly returns and for that he's grateful it wouldn't do him or Katrina much good if he collapsed during the interview.

"Hello Katrina welcome to the Capitol how are you finding it?" Caesar asks trying to encourage a reply from her, many tributes don't aid themselves when they don't talk to him so he always tries his best for the younger ones they need all the help they can get.

"Hi Caesar with a map" Katrina replies smiling innocently which rouses laughter from the crowd and the master of interviews himself.

"The girl such cheek I LOVE it!

"I'm enjoying my time here, everyone is so nice and are answering all my questions, the food here is amazing much better than anything in twelve" Katrina finished with a smile looking out towards the crowd who were practically eating her up with their attention.

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say that your training score came as a shock to us all a 7! For such a small little thing if you don't mind me asking how did you score so high?"

"It's all about speed, They can't kill me if they can't catch me, don't rule me and Ash out yet" Katrina finished before the buzzer rings signalling the end of her interview both her and Caesar stood up.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Katrina of District twelve!" The screams were loud as Katrina came off stage towards Ash and Haymitch who had turned up towards the end of her interview.

"Good job sweetheart you did great, now it's up to you now Everdeen"

"It's time to bring out our final tribute all the way from District twelve ladies and gentlemen may I introduce ASH EVERDEEN the boy on fire" Caesar announced as I was herded up towards the stage by a peacekeeper, as I was walking towards Caesar I looked out towards the crowd, there must have been at least a thousand people here. I shook hands with Caesar before taking a seat, the screams of the spectators changed to screams of wounded miners taking me back. I looked at Caesar who was looking at me expectantly.

"What?" I stumbled out embarrassed.

"Haha looks like someone's a little nervous, I asked about your interesting display at the reaping who was that you ran over to" Caesar asked the audience went deathly silent obviously wanting to know my reasoning for my violent display.

"That was my little sister Katniss I saw her getting hurt and I rushed to help her, it was her first year and she was terrified" Ash replied trying to explain why he attacked the peacekeepers though he guessed it was no use.

"Did she come to see you to say goodbye? Did you promise to win?" he asked

"Yes she came to see me and I promised I would try to win" Ash answered seriously

"With a score of 11 the odds are _definitely_ in your favour, what do you think of your district partner Katrina?"

"She's the sweetest twelve-year-old I've ever met and she's like a little sister to me, I'll protect her in the games" Ash spoke defiantly there were looks of amazement on the faces of those in the audience never had anyone spoken so fiercely defending a district partner, after all there was only one victor.

"There must be someone back home waiting for you to come back a special someone perhaps?" Caesar asked and the crowd went silent

"Nope, I'd never met the right person though that seems to have changed during my stay in the Capitol" as he looked out to the audience the screams grew loud and as Caesar frantically tried to control the crowd to ask another question about who this might be but the buzzer went causing groans and pleads for longer, those wanting to desperately find out if it was them he was talking about.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Ash EVERDEEN the boy on fire!" Caesar was practically screaming to be heard over the ecstatic crowd. Ash quickly shook his hand and jogged off the stage back towards Haymitch who gave him thumbs up.

"Well done, a shaky start but we can definitely work with the last part didn't think you had it in you to lie like that self-righteous Everdeen" Haymitch said teasingly.

"It wasn't a lie…" Ash murmured before striding past them to the elevator, the stylists, Haymitch, Effie were shocked at the admission whilst Katrina had a good idea who she smiled softly. Ash deserved love after all he'd been through, with the upcoming games and his promise to protect her she couldn't help but feel like a burden to him. When they all got back to the penthouse she went to bed immediately wanting to try and get some sleep before tomorrow she noticed however that Ash hadn't come back here though she knew where he'd be.

 _On the roof_

I can't believe it, why had I done that! Ash thought to himself. That was spontaneous even for him, he barely grasped his emotions right now as it was he did not need to complicate his whirlwind of thoughts. Deep breaths calm down, he was beginning to have a panic attack. He dropped down the wall his head in his hands. He heard someone approaching figuring it to be Eva he stood up his thoughts suddenly seemed worthless as he saw coming into view still in her interview outfit. He gasped so beautiful.

"You feel that way about me? and don't you dare lie coal boy or I'll gut you here and now" Eva spoke her facial expression neutral but her eyes held slight anticipation for this answer, it was fast but he remembered something his ma told him when he was younger.

" _Love is a strange and wonderful feeling, some people know from the moment they lay their eyes on their significant other whilst some discover it over time or by accident, when you find it you must never let it go or let anything get in the way of it not even the Capitol my dear"_

"I do" Ash replied before getting slapped hard across the cheek the next thing his mind processed was his lips being smashed onto Eva's after what seemed like eternity they broke apart both out of breath with Ash's cheek now a raw red.

"That's for announcing your feelings to _them_ before me coal boy and this is so you know how I feel" Eva gently this time leaned in kissing the cheek that she had slapped causing a wince from Ash.

Ash pulled her into a hug allowing her to rest her head on his chest rubbing soothing circles into her back, he couldn't help but chuckle at how Eva had reacted it seemed so her and it was one of the traits he had initially found interesting she acted without care around him, he didn't need to impress her despite feeling the need to do so.

"I've never done this before like I said for Caesar, I don't know what to do" Ash admitted shyly.

"Neither do I, just go with the flow or whatever feels natural I s'pose" with that admission they found themselves hours later in each other's arms both as plain as the day they'd come into this world. Their world was perfect for that short bittersweet time they stood on the edge of the abyss with fire coming for them now they would both have to survive the infamous bloodbath. Ladies and Gentlemen let the 69th Hunger Games begin…


End file.
